How to prevent common household plumbing issues

You may want to avoid hearing that your property has plumbing issues. They can be costly to fix, and some tend to recur. However, you can use regular maintenance to prevent many of them. This post considers various ways to avoid common household plumbing issues.

You can also read more about examples of common household plumbing issues, DIY plumbing care tips, and tips to increase plumbing efficiency. This post also considers the services of household plumbers and how to get the right household plumber. Read on for more!

Examples of Common Household Plumbing Issues

Here are some examples of the most common plumbing problems:

Toilet issues

Some common toilet plumbing issues include blocked toilets, leaks, and constantly running toilets. While it is possible to perform DIY toilet repairs for some plumbing repairs, getting professional help for the more serious ones is best.

Kitchen plumbing issues

A most common kitchen plumbing issue is blocked drains. This can occur in sink drains, and you can watch what goes down such drains as a preventive measure.

Leaking taps

Constantly dripping taps and leaky faucets can cause your monthly water bills to rise. That is why you should fix leaking taps as promptly as you can.

Leaking roofs

You will likely need to invite a roof plumber to repair leaking roofs and prevent water damage. At the same time, they can perform required plumbing repairs and roof drainage repairs.

High or low water pressure

This common plumbing problem may need the intervention of your plumber to replace pipes or fix the underlying issue.

Clogged toilets

Dealing with dirty water and blocked sewage from clogged toilets is no fun. Again, calling your plumber to fix the plumbing issue and stop the stink is best.

Ways to Prevent Common Plumbing Issues

One way to clearly avoid significant plumbing issues is to take preventive measures to prevent them. Your next step can be fixing minor plumbing issues that may occur anyway. You can use the following tips to avoid plumbing issues.

Prevent clogging drains and toilet clogs

Clogged or blocked drains can occur due to collapsed pipes or damage from tree roots. The common plumbing issue of clogged drains is easy to prevent. You can implement the following measures:

• Do not put oils, grease, or other substances down your sink. This helps to keep the drains clear.
• Find out recommended ways of disposing of grease from local ordinances. They may have a drop-off location.
• Apply a drain cover or strainer in your shower or bathtub. This will help filter out hair and soap scum.
• Regular cleaning of drain covers helps improve plumbing efficiency.
• Plant your trees away from vital plumbing areas.
• Meanwhile, avoid flushing things like sanitary products and flushable wipes down your toilet.
• Such actions can lead to toilet clogs, septic tank clogs, and plumbing pipe blockages.
• Be careful when using DIY plumbing cleaners. Some common plumbing cleaners can damage the walls of your pipes.

Perform periodic maintenance on hot water systems

If you properly maintain your water system, you can prevent many plumbing issues, such as water leaks. For instance, draining and flushing your water heater at least once every year helps reduce sediment build-up.

A professional plumber can help perform tasks such as inspecting and replacing pressure relief and shutoff valves. However, if you have a plumbing emergency that has to do with water heater leaks, you can first turn off your main water supply. Also, turn off the shutoff valve. These steps can prevent water damages.

Be prompt when preventing plumbing leaks

Plumbing issues such as water leaks can escalate and cause further damage. This includes mould growth and water damage. A professional plumber can help find out the problem and fix or replace damaged parts. You should naturally invite a professional plumber if you notice signs of damage.

Schedule regular plumbing inspections of plumbing systems

Inspecting plumbing systems regularly is a great way to prevent common plumbing issues before they occur. Moreover, it makes household plumbing systems function optimally.

Your regular inspection can include checking pipes and fixtures for signs of leaks or damages. Likewise, you can check toilets and water heaters for signs of water damage.

You can get a licensed plumber to perform regular plumbing inspections.

Prioritise any needed hot water heater repairs

On average, your hot water heater should have a life expectancy of between 5 and 15 years. However, licensed plumbers must replace hot water heaters if they are too small to meet household demands.

Another reason for hot water heater replacement is improper installation. As such, it is already a preventive maintenance measure to have a professional plumber install your hot water heater in the first place.

DIY Plumbing Care Tips

• Use professional drain cleaners to clean out drains and remove build-ups. You can do this monthly
• Use water softeners to soften hard water and maintain water pressure. This reduces the accumulation of sediments in pipes and water heaters.
• The best preventive measures are to perform general maintenance periodically and build positive usage habits.
• For example, always mind what you let down your drains when flushing, washing, or rinsing.
• You may check the plumbing protection of your home warranty coverage. However, note that it may not cover plumbing issues related to sump pumps.
• Be mindful of the drain cleaners you use to get water flowing in clogged drains and toilets. Caustic drain cleaners can damage your pipes.
• A helpful way of preventing plumbing problems is to pour hot water down your drains occasionally. This can help to flush out build-ups.
• You may also pour in a vinegar and baking soda mixture. After that, pour in hot water. This is useful in removing minor clogs.
• Be sure you have access to a professional plumber when you notice signs of a plumbing emergency.

Tips to Increase Plumbing Efficiency

When your plumbing is efficient, you enjoy the benefits of reduced pollution and water waste. In addition, it is cost-saving to have an efficient plumbing system. You can use the following tips to improve plumbing efficiency:

Use low-flow toilets

You can upgrade to modern low-flow toilets if you are using older models. Modern ones consume less water; you can save more water for every flush.

Install modern faucet aerators

Today’s faucet aerators can reduce water usage and retain high water pressure simultaneously. This contrasts with older ones that fail to provide enough pressure to meet demands.

Use pipe insulation

You not only protect pipes from freezing when you install pipe insulation. You also reduce heat loss, which provides better thermal efficiency and conserves energy.

Install tankless water heaters

With tankless water heaters, you no longer need to consume energy to keep your water hot for later use. There is really no need to store hot water when you are not around to use it. Tankless water heaters provide hot water instantly and save energy and heating costs.

Services of Household Plumbers

Read on to get an idea of the services of local plumbers that you can take advantage of:

Plumbing installations

This includes the following services:

• Ductless heating installations
• Ductless ac installations
• Water heater installations
• Bathroom plumbing installations
• Water treatment installations
• Gas plumbing installations
• Air conditioning installation

Plumbing repairs

Licensed plumbers may first use video inspection techniques for leak detection and drain inspections. You can invite them for the following repair services:

• Pipe relining
• Air conditioning repairs (AC repairs)
• Furnace repairs
• Shower repair

Plumbing maintenance

Professional plumbers can provide both preventive and corrective plumbing maintenance services. You can also invite them to perform ac maintenance services to improve indoor air quality.

Emergency plumbing

Good plumbing contractors can provide the following plumbing emergency services:

• Fixing septic tank issues
• Working on frozen pipes
• Performing drain cleaning
• Fixing leaking faucets and burst pipes
• Fixing damaged sewer lines

How to Get the Right Household Plumber

Right from the start, you need to be sure that your plumbing issue will be fixed smoothly and effectively. Here are some qualities to look out for and how you can get the right plumbing company:

• You may go for a company that offers a wide range of services. This way, they can meet your plumbing installations, repairs, and gas fitting needs.
• Be sure to check that your local plumber is fully licensed and insured.
• Ensure they have good reviews and testimonies on their websites and social review sites.
• You may compare online quotes from several plumbing companies. Note that overly low quotes may indicate a tendency to perform shoddy plumbing jobs.
• Also, keep an eye out for the quality of plumbing tools and equipment on the ground.

Hire Professionals for Preventive Solutions

This post has considered how to prevent common household plumbing issues. You also know more about examples of common household plumbing issues, DIY plumbing care tips, and services of household plumbers.

Knowing the tricks to avoid plumbing problems may not be enough when you have serious plumbing issues. At such times, you shouldn’t hesitate to get help from a professional plumbing contractor. They can help you with quick repairs and efficient installation services such as water heater instals.