7 Tips For Better Home Plumbing

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Are you experiencing a plumbing issue, such as a clogged drain, low water pressure, or dripping faucet?  If so, you most certainly consider hiring a professional plumber, which is understandable. However, this isn’t always necessary as some of these plumbing tasks you can do by yourself. 

While this might sound somewhat intimidating if you’ve never done plumbing DIY tasks before, this guide is a great place to start. Here, you’ll be taken through insightful tips to improve your home’s plumbing system. 

1. Buy A Quality Plunger 

To keep your home’s plumbing system well-maintained at all times, you need to invest in a quality plunger. This equipment will be of great use whenever your sink or toilet gets clogged. You don’t need to hire a plumber as it’s very effective in doing away with the clogging issue.  

Moreover, a plunger is recommended when dealing with clogged drains instead of liquid drain cleaners. This is because while the latter is an easy fix to the clogging issue, it destroys the plumbing system. Therefore, you never have to deal with issues, such as needing to repair a broken drainfield. 

2. Know Where The Main Valve Is Located 

The main valve is the first access point through which water enters your home. In most cases, it’s positioned close to the water heater. Knowing where the main water valve is located is crucial in preventing extensive damage to your home if a pipe bursts. This is because you get to quickly know where it is and close it, safeguarding your home from widespread water damage.

3. Never Pour Oil Or Grease Down The Drain 

Do you often pour oil or grease down the drain?  If you do, this is a habit worth quitting immediately as this, over time, leads to the buildup of grease or oil in the drain. At first, you won’t see whether this affects your plumbing system as everything will continue working as usual. However, this will change over time once the accumulation of oil and grease goes out of hand, blocking the pipes. As a result, you’ll have to contend with some severe plumbing issues. 

With this in mind, you should never pour cooking oil down the drain. Instead, opt for other safer disposal methods, such as giving the oil time to cool down and solidify, then disposing of it in the dust bin. 

4. Inspect The Showerhead For Problems

If the showerhead in your bathroom is constantly dripping, you don’t necessarily need to hire a plumber as you can repair it by yourself. This is because a loose thread is what causes the leak in most cases. You should rectify this issue by unbolting the showerhead and applying new tape by wrapping it in a clockwise motion. Once you’re through, go ahead and reconnect the showerhead, and the dripping will stop. 

To remove clogging from the showerhead, you need to immerse it in a bowl filled with warm water and vinegar. Leave it there for approximately one hour, and then start using a tiny brush to remove all the mineral deposits causing the blockage. 

5. Check The Water Pressure 

You don’t want your plumbing system to experience any unnecessary strain as this might lead to destruction. Therefore, you need to regularly inspect the water pressure and confirm if it ranges between 40 to 85 psi. If the water pressure is within the desired range, it’s also advisable to install shower aerators and faucets to reduce the water pressure, without negatively affecting the pressure. These additions shouldn’t worry you as it’s easy to install, cheap, and helps you save on your household’s water usage.

6. Know Your Limits 

While you might be committed to going the DIY route when repairing the plumbing system, it’s vital to know when to seek professional help. While you might think this to be expensive, it saves you from destroying any sensitive part of the plumbing system. This helps you save a considerable sum of money repairing the damage. 

7. Schedule Annual Preventative Maintenance 

You don’t want the plumbing system to experience an issue before you schedule its repair. Instead, you should opt for annual preventative maintenance as this ensures any plumbing issue is quickly addressed before it goes out of hand. This will be beneficial not only in prolonging the plumbing system’s life, but also in cutting down plumbing repair costs. 

Takeaway 

Plumbing plays an integral role in the smooth and efficient running of everything in your home. Therefore, it’s best to know the tricks and tips on how to ensure the plumbing system throughout the house is working correctly. This way, you safeguard everyone’s health and improve the living experience of each household member.