Best Ways To Prevent The Most Common Plumbing Problems

Plumbing issues occur all the time. The most common plumbing problems, however, are mostly preventable. More often than not, the most common plumbing issues are of our making. It could be neglect on our part, or things we actually do to our plumbing that gives us all these headaches.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common plumbing problems, and how we can prevent them.

Blocked or overflowing drains

A clogged drain is perhaps the most common plumbing issue of all. It’s also one of the most preventable.

To prevent drains from clogging, we must:

Avoid pouring used oil or food grease down the sink – Oil or grease poured down the drain will stick around and typically harden. Pour more of it over time, and all that grease will accumulate and completely block your drainpipes. If you have to dispose of oil or grease, then use the garbage bin.

Don’t abuse your garbage disposal – You can’t just chuck anything down the garbage disposal. Only chopped and soft foodstuff and liquids should make it down your unit. Fruit pits and bones are a no-no because you could end up blocking your drain and damaging your garbage disposal at the same time.

Install drain strainers – Drain strainers are quite effective at stopping hair and all kinds of debris from entering sink and bathroom drains. If possible, all your household drains should have strainers. They are inexpensive and easy to install.

Clogged toilets

Clogged toilets are a huge and disgusting problem, especially when they overflow after flushing.

Chances are, your toilet is clogged because a lot of things are regularly flushed down it, and not just human waste. Many people flush baby wipes, Q tips, cotton, sanitary pads, diapers, kitty litter, condoms, and cigarette butts down their toilets, without realizing that all these can block the toilet. These things should never make it down your toilet.

Leaking or broken pipes

Our water pipes are in heavy use at all times, and that means they suffer a lot of wear and tear over time. Eventually, they leak or break, which can cause much bigger problems like flooding.

Pipes will age and eventually succumb to stress, but we can do something to mitigate all of that. Conserving water, for example, allows your pipes to relax a bit.

Softening your water can also help extend the life of your pipes. Using methods like ion-exchange resin or reverse osmosis, you should be able to reduce the mineral and chemical buildup on your pipes usually caused by hard water.

The most common plumbing problems can be easily prevented using the tips above, but if issues still come up, you may need to call in a professional plumber for help.

 Guest Contributor, Victoria Brown