Repairing your plumbing can be quite expensive, but you don’t really have a better choice. You can’t very well go without clean drinking water or regular showers. Once your plumbing breaks down, you have to fix it.
You may not be able to avoid making repairs once they are necessary, but you can take steps to prevent the problems from occurring so that there is no need for repair. Keeping your plumbing healthy does not take a lot of work. Here are six things you can do to keep your pipes intact:
1. Don’t Use Drop-In Toilet Bowl Cleaners
Drop-in toilet cleaners are advertised as an easy way to keep your bowl clean. They promise that you won’t have to scrub out the bowl to keep out the rings or the streaks. Instead, you just drop in the tablet and let the chemicals do the work for you.
However, these cleaners contain harsh chemicals that are constantly being released into the water and into your plumbing. Over time, those chemicals can corrode your pipes. Skip the drop-in cleaners and get out the scrub brush instead. It may take a little extra time to clean your toilets, but you’ll keep your plumbing safe.
2. Avoid Flushable Wipes
Many wipes are now being sold to get a better cleaning after using the toilet. Wiping with toilet paper just doesn’t leave you feeling as fresh as wiping with a wet nap. These new wipes are being advertised as flushable and safe for your plumbing. However, many government agencies are reporting that sewage systems are becoming backed up with these wipes because they are not breaking down properly.
Don’t risk a similar situation with your own plumbing system. Skip the wipes entirely, or make sure you throw them in the trash instead of flushing them down the toilet.
3. Keep Grease Out of the Sink
You can’t pour cooking grease in the trash, and you don’t want to pour it out in your yard and kill your plants, so you may be at a loss for what to do with it. Many people just pour it down their drains and follow it up with hot water, assuming that will keep it moving through the system. But the grease is heavy and won’t move through the system that easily. It will return back to room temperature quickly enough, congealing in the pipes.
Grease can corrode the pipes, and it can cause clogs that can increase water pressure that can cause the pipes to burst. Keep the grease out of the pipes entirely. Pour it in a container and dispose of it through the local services properly. If you aren’t sure on what to do, check your local ordinances.
4. Use the Garbage Disposal Sparingly
You may feel safe to throw grease and other food down the drain if you have a garbage disposal. After all, it’s there to eat up all your food scraps. However, the grease in those scraps could still clog up your system and cause the same problems. You should use the garbage disposal sparingly.
Never put meat down the disposal, as it contains grease. Also avoid putting in foods like cheese, yogurt, and oils. For all other foods, put them in the disposal slowly and in small amounts only. You can also cause a clog by trying to do too much at once.
5. Replace Water Hoses with Stainless Steel
Rubber hoses are often used to connect washing machines to the rest of your plumbing. However, these hoses are not durable. They break down over time, and they can burst in mid-use, flooding your laundry room and the surrounding area with water. The broken hose can lead to up to five gallons of water flooding out per minute.
Replace these hoses with stainless steel hoses that will stand up to more use for a longer period. You’ll protect your plumbing and the rest of your home.
6. Don’t Hang Things on Exposed Pipes
You may have exposed pipes in your crawl space, garage, or other places. These may seem like sturdy bars that would make a convenient spot to hang all kinds of things, like tools, sports equipment, or other gear. However, the pipes are not as sturdy as they may seem, even if they are copper or stainless steel.
Hanging anything on your pipes can put pressure on them, which could cause them to burst. Never hang anything on your exposed pipes, no matter how light you think the items are.
These are all things you can do on a regular basis to keep your plumbing system healthy. You can also hire a plumber to conduct an inspection of your system once a year to ensure that everything is working properly and there are no lingering issues. Between your own diligence and the regular intervention of an experienced plumber, you can ensure that your plumbing system will keep working properly year after year for many decades.
You’ll save yourself a lot of money and a lot of headaches.
Integrity Repipe in California can be your partner in keeping your plumbing system healthy. Our expert plumbers can identify problems with your plumbing in the early stages, and they can perform the needed repairs or repiping. If you have an aging system, our plumbers can help you identify the right materials for a whole-home repipe. We are specialists in PEX piping, which is a flexible, anti-corrosive option that can last your whole lifetime. Contact us today to learn more about PEX piping or to schedule an inspection of your system.
Published by – Integrity Repipe Inc
Integrity Repipe Inc – Mission Viejo, CA
27281 Las Ramblas, Suite 200
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
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Long Beach, CA 90815
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Chula Vista, CA 91910
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Ladera Ranch, CA
27762 Antonio Parkway L1
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Lakeside, CA
8337 Winter Gardens Boulevard
Lakeside, CA 92040
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Aliso Viejo, CA
27068 La Paz Rd #771
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Phone: 949-449-1142
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Oceanside, CA
1759 Oceanside Blvd C,
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 442-300-3057
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19360 Rinaldi
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Phone: 818-630-9265
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