Taking steps to care for your home is a smart move. You want to preserve your property’s equity while avoiding running up unnecessary expenses in the house. Damaging the plumbing system, in particular, could contribute to avoidable problems. A homeowner might never dream of deliberately wrecking his/her plumbing, but oversights and benign neglect can lead to disastrous problems. Once you understand the common ways that homeowners damage pipes, drains, and fixtures, hopefully, you can take steps to avoid the same errors.
Not Fixing Small Problems Before They Become Significant Ones
There is no such thing as “minor” neglect. Benign neglect or seemingly minor oversight can lead to disastrous problems over time. Therefore, do not think of anything as being too little to care about. Be very deliberate with all your steps for proper plumbing care, and stay on top of making “small” improvements.
Here’s one thing to consider: Do not allow moisture to collect inside the bathroom. When hot water runs and steam fills up the room, it might be helpful to open a window. This way, the steam can exit. Also, be sure to wipe up any moisture inside the shower or water that may land on the floor. Moisture in the air could ruin the ceiling and the walls by peeling the paint. While annoying, peeling paint isn’t too expensive to fix. If the moisture rusts the showerhead and metal components of the sink, those fixtures will need replacing. The cost of doing so can be substantial, especially when you are paying for both parts and labor.
Don’t Dispose of Garbage Down the Toilet
Using a toilet as garbage disposal might be among the most common ways people cause damage to a home’s plumbing. Flushing refuse down the toilet that really belongs in the garbage disposal or trash can create clogs and other problems. Calling a plumber to clear out the pipes might become unavoidable if your toilet backs up and overflows. However, many people choose to flush kitchen refuse, rubber gloves, thick paper towels, and other inappropriate items down the toilet. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big deal until problems arise. And those problems could be worse than you think. An overflowing toilet can cause water damage and create health risks. Why take such chances? Septic lines are not general-purpose garbage disposals. Please do not treat them as such.
Beware of DIY Fixes that Cause More Damage than Good
The internet opens the door to learning about do-it-yourself plumbing and other home improvement fix-it steps. Unfortunately, people who attempt to perform even essential plumbing work without any experience can damage the system more than they realize. Stripping the grooves in pipes or screws could cause all kinds of problems. These actions may necessitate purchasing replacement parts that should not have been damaged in the first place.
Oversights, such as not shutting off water pressure before starting a repair, sometimes create disastrous messes, and those messes aren’t necessarily easy or inexpensive to clean up.
Also, attempts to perform do-it-yourself plumbing jobs without the right tools or the proper knowledge increase the potential for an injury. Why place yourself at risk for potential harm when it would be better to have a professional do the job? [Company_name] helps people living in the Los Molinos and Sacramento areas with many different plumbing requests. Repairs and services related to water heaters and purification are available.
An Overreliance on Harsh Chemicals
One way to get rid of clogs involves pouring harsh chemicals down the drains. Despite so many modern misgivings about chemical drain cleaners, people continue to use them. In fact, people stick with these cleaners even when reports indicate that the chemicals in them are not entirely safe. In addition to application reactions, chemicals can give off toxic fumes.
As for the effect on the plumbing system, the corrosive nature of drain cleaners could lead to pipe damage, which, in turn, can result in leaks. Replacing the damaged pipes might become unavoidable, meaning you need to hire a plumber. Also, the leaks can cause additional damage to the interior of your walls.
Not Fixing Issues in a Timely Manner
Not fixing plumbing troubles right away can lead to severe problems. People do worry about the costs associated with plumbing fixtures. While understandable, such an attitude often entails looking at things only for the short-term benefits. Expenses will likely increase if the problem grows worse. Overlooking or delaying repairs increases the chance a homeowner spends more to deal with more significant plumbing issues.
For example, if there is a pipe with a small leak, a person might not worry about the dripping water. What if that water reaches the valve? The valve could rust and then become useless. Now, in addition to replacing the pipe, you must replace the valve. Hopefully, no one twists a rusted valve that ends up breaking and causing water to spray out under pressure.
Not Taking Weather-Related Preparations
If you live in an area where the weather can drop below freezing, you must take steps to protect your pipes. Insulating them is one way to do so, and the preventive measure might be highly advisable. Pipes that freeze in the winter can expand and shatter.
Don’t rely on your interior temperature alone for protection. Even though your heater works, be mindful that a heater can malfunction. If the furnace stops working on a freezing day, pipes may burst. Insulation reduces the chances of this occurring. Also, make sure the property’s interior and exterior shut-off valves work. This way, In the event of a disaster, you can turn off the water.
Concerns about the weather bring up another point. You should prepare your plumbing system when you go on vacation. Draining the lines and shutting off the water from the curb could prevent a host of problems in an emergency. Assuming everything will be fine while you are away from home might not be a prudent strategy.
Abusing the Garbage Disposal
A common misconception about the garbage disposal is that it can take on any substance, grind everything up, and send the refuse into the system. Garbage disposals have their limitations. Exceeding those limitations can lead to breaking and, eventually, replacing a garbage disposal.
Keep a trashcan near the sink and throw things that really shouldn’t go down the garbage disposal into the can’s plastic bag. Often, the trashcan, and not the disposal, is the right place for many types of kitchen refuse.
Not Getting the Plumbing Inspected
Have you thought of requesting an annual inspection of the plumbing system? Perhaps even once every two years is appropriate. Sometimes, problems exist, and the homeowner never notices. A plumber could perform a thorough inspection capable of uncovering an issue requiring immediate attention. By getting to the problem quickly, you can fix it and avoid additional troubles.
The team at Gallagher's Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning waits for your call for any plumbing-related request. Feel free to ask about heating and air conditioning work, as well. Even duct cleaning and indoor air quality services are available. Call us today.
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