As a homeowner, you’re responsible for keeping the various systems in your home in good working order. It’s especially important to pay attention to your plumbing system and keep it maintained if you want to avoid expensive problems down the road.
From water heater repair to fixing drainage problems, plumbing repairs can be expensive. Fortunately, there are preventative things you can do to keep your pipes working well for years to come. Here’s how to take good care of your drains and avoid major clogs.
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Don’t put foreign items down your sink
It’s okay for soap, toothpaste, and water to go down your sink. However, there are some things that should never go down a drain, including:
- Harsh chemicals
- Lemon or orange rinds
- Grease or other fatty substances
- Feminine products
- Hair
- Cotton balls
- Toilet paper
- Medicine
- Food
- Jewelry
- Crayons
Surprisingly, many of these items end up in sinks for one reason or another. Even if you’re a responsible homeowner who doesn’t put foreign items down the drain, you might have kids who do. Keep your kids educated about how excess hair, crayons, and other items can cause the drain to stop working.
Take care of needed repairs right away
While it’s true that water heater repair, pipe replacement, and other plumbing system repairs are costly, it’s always best to get them taken care of right away. Putting off needed repairs only allows them to become worse and more expensive to fix.
Install drain catchers
Since you can’t always control what your kids do when you aren’t looking, it’s wise to install drain catchers in every single drain. These handy devices don’t cost a lot of money and pay for themselves many times over.
Drain catchers are easy to install and are designed to catch dirt, hair, and other items that might fall or be placed into your drain. To remove debris, simply take the drain catcher out and empty it before reinstalling it.
Schedule Maintenance Services Regularly
All plumbing systems require regular maintenance to work properly, including drains. Unless there’s a problem, your maintenance appointments shouldn’t take too much of your time.
Although it costs money to schedule regular drain maintenance, it is much more affordable than repairing a broken pipe due to a severe clog. As with most things in life, prevention is generally a better choice than allowing a problem to grow more severe over time.
Be gentle on your appliances and faucets
Plumbing issues often arise when faucets and/or appliances are overworked. To prevent overuse of your pipes and faucets, be conscientious about how often you operate them.
Instead of letting your laundry pile up and running your washing machine for 24 straight hours one day of the week, consider breaking your laundry load up into manageable loads throughout the week. Employing water conservation efforts is also a great way to prevent overuse of your plumbing systems and drains.
If you want a plumbing system you can always rely on, proper maintenance and care is imperative. Start by following these helpful tips for taking good care of your drains and pipes.
