Resolve To Break These Bad Plumbing Habits in the New Year
Top 3 Bad Plumbing Habits to Avoid
As another year dawns, many homeowners are making resolutions to better care of their homes. There’s no better place to start than the home’s plumbing system. Anyone who has ever experienced a plumbing emergency knows how much of a pain it can be. Luckily, most preventable plumbing emergencies fall into three general categories. This article covers those three, so read on to learn the top three bad plumbing habits you can easily avoid.
Using Harmful Liquid Drain Cleaner
If a clog in one of the home’s drains occurs, it’s tempting to snag a bottle of liquid drain cleaner from the store. Unfortunately, the makers of these products don’t want homeowners to know that they can actually damage the pipes over time.
The harsh chemicals designed to break up clogs can also cause pipe corrosion and weakening, which could lead to bigger issues. Not to mention that the chemicals are extremely caustic and harmful to the environment.
While chemical drain cleaners can work on minor clogs, they are often useless against tougher clogs and almost never fully address the issue. This is why homeowners should call a plumber instead of using damaging chemicals to address the issue.
A professional plumbing company can fully unclog the drain without damaging the pipes, which will help the plumbing system stay healthy for longer.
Shirking Regular Maintenance
Many homeowners see plumbing maintenance as a luxury or don’t think of it at all. Since most of the plumbing system is hidden from view, it’s easy to ignore it until something goes wrong. However, homeowners who plan for longevity with regular plumbing maintenance often avoid plumbing issues altogether.
Regular plumbing maintenance involves a professional plumber inspecting all the major components of the system. This entails checking fixtures, pipes, and appliances for signs of wear and tear or impending problems.
It includes fixing minor leaks (which add up over time), cleaning dirty drains, and ensuring that the water pressure is at an ideal level. They can also perform water heater maintenance to ensure that the appliance is operating as it should.
Taken together, these regular maintenance visits can improve the life of the plumbing system and prevent expensive plumbing emergencies from happening.
Flushing Things That Shouldn’t Be Flushed
The last item on the list of bad plumbing habits to break is perhaps the most obvious. Most homeowners know that they shouldn’t flush feminine hygiene products, trash, or paper towels down the toilet.
However, other items, even those labeled “flushable,” should never go in the toilet. Flushable wipes may technically be flushable, but they can damage the home’s plumbing and the local wastewater treatment plant’s systems.
To avoid a clogged sewer line, homeowners should only flush toilet paper down the toilet! But what about the other drains?
One of the most common causes of a sewer line clog originates in the kitchen: grease. This culprit may look like liquid when it goes into the kitchen sink. However, once it’s in the plumbing system, it cools and turns into gunk that sticks to the sides of the sewer line, eventually creating a clog.
Coffee grounds and fibrous vegetables, such as asparagus, celery, and artichokes, should also be thrown in the trash instead of down the drain—even if there’s a garbage disposal.
By following these tips and breaking bad plumbing habits, homeowners can better care for their plumbing systems. With the help of a professional plumbing company performing regular maintenance services, they can rest easy knowing that their plumbing system is well cared for.
About Discount Mechanical Heating & Plumbing
Family-owned and operated Discount Mechanical Heating & Plumbing has proudly served Anchorage, AK, since 2004. They offer prompt service and competitive, flat-rate pricing. They also provide 24/7 service and are fully licensed and insured. Contact them today for plumbing services in Anchorage, AK.