Maintaining your plumbing systems requires you to be proactive and work the little habits into your routine that will keep your pipes clean and flowing in top shape. It’s the easiest thing that you can do to avoid those stressful and expensive repairs down the road. That’s why we’ve put together a list of plumbing tips that will save you from literally pouring your money down the drain. Here’s what you can do:
- Turn off your taps – At the end of the day, if you’re looking to save, this tip’s a no-brainer. Not only are dripping faucets a bit of an annoyance, they’re also a huge waste of water. A single dripping faucet can waste as much as 15 gallons of water each day! That can add $100 or more to your yearly water bill. Avoid this by simply making sure that your tap is turned completely off after each and every use. If you find that your faucet still leaks, then call in a professional for repairs. It’s better to take corrective measures now than to wait for a plumbing emergency to occur.
- Check your drains – More often than not, drain maintenance is overlooked until a problem actually presents and your floors are flooded. Don’t let this happen to you. Keep your drains working in top order by keeping buildup at bay. Use strainers, both in the kitchen and in the bathroom, to avoid unwanted materials from going down your drain and creating clogs. But, avoid using harsh chemicals to clean them, as these can erode your pipes. An alternative option is to pour one cup of baking soda followed by one cup of vinegar down your drains on a monthly basis.
- Watch out for hair – Sometimes, especially in the shower, it can be hard to completely avoid hair from going down the drain. But, never flush hair or anything hair-like (e.g. floss) down a drain. This is one of the leading causes of drain blockages.
- Pay attention to what goes down your garbage disposal – It’s all too easy to just throw anything and everything down the garbage disposal, but if you want it to keep working, stop treating it like an indestructible machine. Food leftovers like bones, fruit pits, banana peels, meat skins, and stringy vegetables like celery, for example, are all bad for your disposal. They leave debris behind in your pipes that will cause clogs, not to mention the added wear and tear.
- Never pour grease down drains – Fats and oils do not belong in pipes! You already know that when fats and oils are melted, they will, again, eventually solidify, so why would you pour these down your drain? Just like when they cool on the stove, they will cool and solidify in your pipes, blocking all flow. It’s best to pour hot grease and fats into a heat resistant container, and wait for them to cool enough to be thrown into the garbage can.
- Check your toilet – You should regularly check your toilet for leaks, as this can be one of the biggest offenders of excess water use and waste. If you believe there to be a leak, try adding a drop of food coloring into your toilet water tank, then wait about 15 minutes. If, after this time has passed, you find that the dye has seeped into your toilet bowl, then you have a leak.
- Monitor your water meter – One of the best ways to make sure that you don’t have any hidden leaks that could be contributing to high water bills or unseen damage in your home, is to monitor your meter. Take a reading before and after a period of time when you know that no water is going to be in use. If the meter changes during that time, then you probably have a leak hiding somewhere in your home.
Work these tips into your regular home maintenance routines, and your pipes are sure to be running in top condition for a good, long run. But, if you’re still not sure what might be lurking within those pipes, give Tritan a call. We’ll send our team of highly trained professionals out to ensure that your plumbing systems are working in top order.
