Our team of experts always steps up to the plate when it comes to the thousands of questions we’re asked about plumbing dos and don’ts. From advisement on basic DIY plumbing solutions to in-home inspection curiosities to following ups with tips on how to maintain professional fixes, we’ve heard it all, and we do it all. In fact, we encourage homeowners to ask more questions!
The more you know about your plumbing, the easier it is for you, and let’s face it, your pocket, to keep everything operating at full capacity. So, we’re breaking down some of our most commonly asked questions to help you stay on top of preventive care and hopefully even ease some concerns. Here are some things you should know:
- How can I prevent leaks? The best way to ensure you stay ahead of leaky pipes is to make it a regular part of your home’s maintenance routine to check for possible leaks. You want to look for things like rust or lime deposit build-up, as these are signs of cracks and leaks. If you find these signs, contact your trusty plumber asap to come out and inspect the problem area. Even if you’ve yet to see any real damage, it’s important to take corrective measures right away to avoid a much bigger problem down the road.
- Why won’t my faucet stop dripping? Dripping faucets are generally straight forward fixes. It usually requires a touch up or replacement of the internal mechanism that’s been damaged, perhaps from forceful use. This is something that your plumber can easily correct.
- Why won’t my toilet stop running? People often dismiss a running toilet as no big deal. But, while it’s not a major issue, the truth is that a running toilet is much more than just an annoyance. It’s also a huge waste of water and money, as you’ll soon notice in the hike in your water bill. The good news is that fixing a running toilet is easy. It usually just means that part of your tank’s mechanism is out of place or needs to be replaced, and this is something you can actually do on your own.
- Why do my drains keep clogging? Drain clogs are incredibly common and most often due to careless use. Your drains and pipes aren’t designed to just take anything and everything you may throw down them, so you have to take measures to prevent debris from going down that can result in clogs and possible damage. Shower drains should be guarded with strainers to catch hair, soap particles, oil, etc. Similarly, you should keep a strainer in your kitchen sink and avoid putting hard materials down your garbage disposal.
- How can I prolong the lifespan of my home’s plumbing? From faucets to fixtures, to appliances, water heaters and more, maintaining all of the inner workings of your plumbing system is actually quite easy. It’s all about proactive care. Since we deal with hard water here in Chicagoland, one of the best things we recommend you do to keep your system in top shape is to use water softeners or water conditioners. These will help stop scale build-up, a consequence of hard water, and will protect your pipes, appliances and fixtures.
Tritan Plumbing is always available to answer any and all questions you may have about your home’s plumbing and ready to jump into action whenever you need. Start taking proactive measures, today, and when you’re ready to schedule your regular maintenance inspection, we’ll be standing by
