An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old saying goes. That applies to your plumbing at home or at your business premises, and indeed keeping your plumbing well-maintained throughout the year can save you lots of time, money, and stress.
As professional plumbers, we get called out for a wide variety of reasons, but there’s quite a common theme to many of our domestic call-outs. Many homeowners may simply not know or may neglect to take good care of their plumbing, which means having to call over a plumber to fix the problem. Good for us, but that ends up costing you in the long run when a little care may have done a lot of good instead.
Here are five common things you should not do to keep your plumbing healthy and in good working order:
Don’t Ignore Leaks, Even if They’re Small
That pitter-patter or obnoxious drip, drip, drip that keeps you up at night is something you shouldn’t ignore. A leaky faucet, even if it’s quite small, can eventually lead to water damage, attract mould, and add to your water bill by quite a noticeable amount if not dealt with quickly.
A little leak isn’t quite an emergency, perhaps, but don’t put it off a day longer than you have to and have it repaired by a plumber if necessary.
Stop Pouring Grease or Oil Down the Sink
Now this is a big one. When you’re cooking, try to avoid – as much as possible – pouring grease or oil down the sink after you’re done. Leftover cooking fats, whether tallow, olive oil, or otherwise, are fats and they will harden and build up inside of the pipes over time, leading to blockages and foul odours.
Clean off any food scraps into your rubbish bin and make sure to pour any excess oil from your pots and pans into a jar for disposal. This little tip can go a long way and keep your home plumbing in good order for many years to come.
Don’t Put Rubbish into the Toilet Bowl
The only things that go down your toilet should be human waste and toilet paper. In recent years, many homeowners have gotten into the bad habit of flushing down cotton swabs and especially sanitary wipes. These are not meant to go into the toilet bowl, but rather you should toss them in a bin in your bathroom or elsewhere in the house.
Like with oils and grease, these items can lead to snags and blockages in your pipes, which can then lead to the toilet overflowing.
Use Chemical Drain Cleaning Products Sparingly (or Not at All)
Chemical drain cleaning products contain harsh, caustic chemicals that can seemingly work wonders at clearing out blockages. Since they’re highly corrosive, however, they’ll eat away at more than just the fats clogged up in your drains – they’ll also eat away at the pipes and wear out the fittings.
Try as much as you can not to use these products, and if you must, use them sparingly and as directed on the bottle. A plunger is better for little toilet clogs, and cleaning out hair from the shower drain is also much more effective and safer than dumping harsh chemicals down the drain.
Don’t Try to DIY Major Plumbing Problems
DIY is all well and good, and in fact, many homeowners can stand to benefit greatly from picking up handyman tips here and there. Major plumbing repairs are not recommended, however.
If it comes to gas fittings, for example, you aren’t permitted to DIY the plumbing yourself due to the immense danger that gas poses. Hot water heater installation and repairs, mains supply plumbing, or major leaks behind the walls or in the ceiling should only be carried out by a qualified plumber.
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