5 Easy Tips for Maintaining Your Plumbing: All You Need to Know

A properly functioning home plumbing system is a basic necessity in all households. Not only because it provides your family with clean and fresh water, but also because it helps keep your home clean and your family healthy. It makes up to 15% of the total value of your home, so from both standpoints, this is a substantial investment.

In order to keep that investment running smoothly and efficiently, regular maintenance is a key factor. The little time and money you invest into proper plumbing servicing far outweigh the risks and huge costs in case anything goes wrong. Here is how to properly care for your plumbing system.

Using strainers will greatly help you keep away soap residue, hair or particles from going down the drain and building up. If it has already accumulated, the more you wait, the bigger the chances of clogging.

So act immediately: use enzyme-based cleaners instead of the strong, abrasive chemical ones. The natural bacteria in these products dissolve the accumulated clog and enable you to clean it more easily by simply plunging or using a plumbing snake.

For simple prevention, turn to the basic ingredients that almost all kitchens have: baking soda and vinegar. For regular maintenance, once or twice a month, pour down the drain a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, let it stand there for 10 minutes, and wash away with hot water. This will help you keep the pipes clean and prevent any unpleasant odors.

Kitchens are most often the places where drains clog because we use the sink several times a day and a lot of food residue gets washed down the drain. To make sure your sink stays clog-free, keep oil, fat and any kind of cooking grease out of the sink, and dispose of it in other ways. 

If you carelessly let it go down, it will build up in time, clog your drain and make cleaning extremely difficult. Make sure you are choosing the right kitchen sinks.

During cold winters, freezing pipes can create a serious problem. The water inside them freezes, expands and causes the pipes to crack. When the icy water thaws, the cracks leak and cause flooding.

The best solution to this problem is pipe insulation. There are easy peel and stick solutions available in most home improvement shops, or you can use a simple plastic covering and wrap the exposed pipes.

If the pipes still get frozen, shut off the water supply, and take a couple of hours to thaw the pipes. The easiest way is using a small heater or a hair dryer and directing it to the side nearest to the tap. Before you run the water again, carefully check if there are any cracks or leaks.

Any kind of discolouration or damp spots on the floors, walls or ceilings means there’s a water leak somewhere. It’s imperative that you act promptly. If it’s a small problem, you might be able to fix it yourself with your toolkit. A plunger or a sewer snake can break the blockage in the drain pipes or toilets and let the water flow freely instead of coming back up and flooding.

However, if it’s a more serious problem, it’s time you call in the pros. You can always rely on a 24-hour plumber to come to your rescue.

Seasonal changes affect your plumbing, so seasonal maintenance is one of the preventive measures you can take to avoid possible plumbing problems later. For example, before winter comes and the temperatures drop, outdoor hoses should be disconnected and spigot valves closed off. 

In the spring, when the weather warms up, check if all the drains are working properly, and if there are any slow leaks or signs of watermarks.

Proper and regular maintenance routine is what will help your plumbing stay in pristine condition. Also, by reducing the water usage, you’ll have a more sustainable and energy-efficient system that will contribute to the lower utility bills and preservation of the environment.