There’s no guarantee that pipes will remain clean and clog-free especially when you have an old home. Why not develop a habit of damage prevention so you can save more time and money in the future?
To protect your plumbing system, you must prioritize pipe maintenance. Additionally, to avoid leaks and other hazards that can cost thousands to repair, you should keep these techniques in mind to protect your home’s plumbing.
Prevent Future Clogging
Although they may seem like a common issue, clogs can cause serious trouble over time, cost more money, time, and inconvenience which will make it hard for you to use your showers or sinks. But, there are simple but effective clog preventions like avoiding dumping grease, oil, and food left-overs in the sink, regularly cleaning your drains, and installing screens over drains in shower and tubs.
These habits seem to be easy to develop but sadly, some homeowners tend to forget to do these simple preventions. It is important to maintain clog-free pipes to save you future costly damage.
Don’t ignore minor issues
With plumbing, it is highly important to become aware of minor leaks or issues. Ignoring them will worsen the damage over time.
Regularly do a maintenance check your home for potential signs of leaks and damage like wet spots, mold, and mildew or smelly odors around your house and do not hesitate to contact a professional and licensed plumber near your area.
Do this not only for your home but to help conserve water because collectively, these minor plumbing issues can waste thousands of gallons of water per year, and will also increase your water bill.
Maintain the cleanliness of shower heads, faucets, and fixtures
It is easy to overlook the cleanliness of shower heads, faucets, and fixtures because we cannot see inside of them. Homeowners usually do not realize that there are already dirt and mold inside their shower heads and faucets because they are hidden.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to clean them out like filling a plastic bag with white vinegar, submerge the shower head, and soak it up for several hours depending on the material and dirt build-up. If the shower head is made of brass, gold, or is nickel-coated, do not soak it beyond 30 minutes.
Insulate and Reduce the water pressure
High water pressure can drastically reduce the life span of your plumbing system because your pipes get stressed out, increasing the likelihood of a leak.
There is an available hose bib gauge at the hardware that you can use to measure your water pressure. You should attach it to an outside spigot and open the line. If the pressure is above 40 and 85 psi, consider hiring a plumber to install a pressure reducer.
If you live in a place with especially cold winters, you need to make sure that you have proper insulation on your pipes so they don’t burst.
Self-adhering foam tape is a cheap and easy option. Additionally, insulated caps on exterior valves are an easy way to prevent freezing from entering the interior of your pipes. A neat trick for sprinkler systems is to use compressed air to clear out any excess water in preparation for a cold snap.
The water pressure may not be a potential hazard to some homeowners. But, having constant high pressure can put a huge strain on your pipes, causing damage, and leaks.
Hire a licensed plumber to regularly inspect your plumbing system
Lastly, keep in mind that plumbing can be incredibly complex, and you need the help of a reliable and licensed plumber.
It is because even the most knowledgeable homeowners may not access or see that there may be elements of your plumbing system without a professional’s help. That’s also why it’s so important to have a local plumber regularly come out to service and inspect your system.
It is recommended by experts to have a plumber perform a full evaluation twice per year, or every six months. Professionals who provide plumbing services in Singapore will perform important tasks such as draining your water heater and taking care of minor clogs while looking out for bigger problems that you may not be aware of.