It’s no secret that blocked drains can cost you and your family serious amounts of money. If left unchecked, a professional drain unblocking can cost thousands or even tens of thousands of rands to repair.
That’s why proper drain maintenance is essential. With just a few simple steps that you can integrate into your daily household chores, you can stave off costly and potentially dangerous plumbing problems.
Read on to find out 5 simple and hugely effective plumbing maintenance tips that you can make use of today.
1. Divert Waste Away from Your Plumbing
One of the best drains maintenance actions you can take is to make sure nothing is going down there that is likely to cause clogs.
Avoid dumping common culprits such as grease, coffee grounds, banana peels, and wet wipes down your sink or waste disposal unit.
Use a clog catcher in your kitchen sink that can catch any larger waste items before they block your pipes. Stop flushing items such as makeup wipes down the toilet. All of these simple steps will help keep your drainage clean and clear.
2. Clean Out Your Drains Regularly
Cleaning plumbing pipes is an easy and quick task that will go a long way toward preventing blockages.
There are countless ways you can clean your drainage system. One of the most common ways is to simply pour boiling water down the sink and see what it flushes out.
A top-notch pipes maintenance tip is to pour salt down the pipes before you pour the water. You can also pour bleach and bottles of drain cleaner down the sink if you think a blockage is starting to form.
Remember, if you pour drain cleaner down the sink, NEVER chase it with boiling water, as it may trigger a dangerous chemical reaction.
3. Hire a Professional Drain Cleaning Service
For truly effective drain cleaning that you know will keep your plumbing clear for the foreseeable, consider hiring a professional drain cleaning service that will take care of it all for you.
Doing this is a lot cheaper than having to hire someone to fix your plumbing when it all breaks down. You also get the peace of mind of knowing that your drainage has been scrubbed clean by professionals.
4. Tweak Your Water Pressure
This is one of those plumbing maintenance tips that should be handled delicately. Often, poor water pressure can cause blockages to form since water is not running through the drainage system with enough force to clear it of debris.
Often, all you need to do is turn up your water pressure to the right levels. However, be careful.
If you turn it up too high, you risk causing even more damage to your pipes that could lead to a plumbing system breakdown. Only do this if you are confident that your water pressure is too low.
5. Prep Your Pipes for the Colder Months
One of the most common causes of plumbing problems is poor winter maintenance. Even if it is not cold enough for snow, plunging temperatures can still contribute to serious plumbing problems.
Always prepare your pipes for the colder months by wrapping them in insulation.
When Plumbing Maintenance Isn’t Enough
Of course, sometimes plumbing maintenance is not enough. If you already have a blockage that is too big to wash away, it’s time to call in the professionals.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need your plumbing fixed in an instant.