Prevent Most Common Plumbing Issues

Toilets Repair is my specialty!

Years ago, we spent a lot of money on calls to the plumber, but then I started hovering over the plumber while he worked in order to pick up a few tips and tricks.  Once I got the basics down, I was able to save us some cash and take care of a lot of plumbing issues on my own.  Many people take home plumbing for granted until problems, which can be avoided through proper maintenance, start happening.

Below are some common plumbing issues and the different ways to prevent them from occurring.

1. Clogs

There are many different ways to prevent this very common plumbing problem in homes.  One great idea is the installation of small screens or grates over drains to keep hair strands from going down and building up.  Clogs in the kitchen sink drain, on the other hand, can be prevented by exercising caution in the items being poured down there.  Instead of dumping liquefied fat and large pieces of food down the drain, dump them on large waste receptacles instead. If you do however experience issues with a blocked drain in your house, try resolving the problem yourself or consider getting in touch with a blocked drain plumber.

2. Low Pressure

Low pressure in shower heads or taps is often caused by a build-up of rust or calcium on pipes.  After some time, these break loose and plug up valves, aerators, and even other pipes.  Hence, preventing these involves checking for and replacing old iron pipes, taps, or shower heads as needed.

3. Freezing Pipes

This plumbing problem associated with the cold of the winter season can be prevented by dripping the cold and hot water at bathroom and kitchen taps.  This way, the water is in constant motion.  Another way of preventing this problem is by insulating the pipes in different parts of the house using foam insulation that can be snapped on.  Ensure that it fits tightly without any gaps.  It is also important that you tape the joints and place mitre foam around the elbows, this way, pipe joints are covered.

4. Leaks

Leaks in different pipes of the house’s plumbing system cannot be avoided, even if you have all the old pipes replaced with new ones.  An alternative to this is watching out for small leaks and having them fixed by a qualified plumber at the soonest possible time before these become bigger issues.

Here are some things you can do to check for leaks in your plumbing:

1. When you check for leaks, switching the main off is the first thing you should do.  You can find this near the water meter.

2. Note down the usage reading that is currently on your water meter at present and look for changes to the numbers after each hour passes.  An increase in the reading despite having switched off your home’s water supply is an indication of at least two leaking pipes, often in the main line.  A smaller leak does not have an effect on the reading, and for this reason, it is important that you check each part of your home.

3. Assess the bases of your toilets.  If the flooring near your toilets has bubbled, cracked, or softened, it is highly likely that a leak has happened in the piping under them.  The replacement of the wax seal usually solves the problem; however, the leak is likely on the drain pipe.

4. Ensure that you assess every pipe joint you can see.  When you assess areas that have cramped, use good sources of illumination to clearly see the joints.  Check if there are stains or if the bottom parts of cabinets have warped, since these are also indicators of leaking pipes.  The sections where the pipes in the plumbing system join are very common leak sites due to broken seals, cracks, or corrosion.

5. Switch off the supply lines that lead to toilets, appliances, and taps.  Switch them on once more after some moments.  Leaks typically show when the supply lines are turned back on.

6. Assess the floor near any appliances which make use of water and sections of the floor where the pipes of your system run.  A few signs of the pipes under the floor leaking include stains, buckling, cracking, warping, and a spongy feeling when you step on the floor.

7. Also, you can lift parts of the flooring and assess the subfloor under it.  Black stains or wet spots indicate the leaking of the pipes situated right under the floor.

8. Lastly, assess bubbling, stains, or cracks on ceilings and walls in the bathrooms.  Leaks from any hidden pipes pool before signs can be found.

If any of these problems have occurred in the plumbing system of your home, make sure to contact government-registered, skilled, and licensed plumbers in your region. For all my Australian friends, if you are living around Cremorne area and need a good plumbing service, visit: http://www.plumbercremorne.com.au.  I personally have AHS insurance, so anytime we have an issue that I can’t fix, they are the first one on our call list.

Photo Credit:  dailyhomerenotips.com