Major plumbing problems tend to strike at the worst times – late at night, during a busy week, or on a weekend or holiday. At best, you could lose the use of your appliances until they’re repaired, but at worst, you could have water damage or possible health risks for your family.

Fortunately, you can prevent major plumbing issues before they happen by caring for your plumbing all year long.

Watch What Goes Down the Toilet

A lot of things tend to end up in toilets that shouldn’t, such as cotton swabs, tissues, disposable wet wipes, or even children’s toys. If you make a habit of flushing these products, you’re risking a major clog in the future.

The only things that should go down your toilet are waste and toilet paper. Even products that claim to be flushable really aren’t, so make it a habit to dispose of them in the garbage. If you do put something in the toilet that shouldn’t go in it, don’t try to flush it. Use a plunger to dislodge it or bring in a plumber to help.

Don’t Put Grease Down Your Kitchen Sink

All of your drains lead to your plumbing system, but the one that takes the most abuse is often the kitchen drain. If you’re putting your hot cooking grease down your drain, you’re setting yourself up for a big clog.

Grease may be liquid while you’re cooking, but it hardens as it cools. If you put it down your drain while it’s hot, it can get stuck in the P-trap and solidify, collecting debris that flows down your drain. It may also end up in the sewer, mixing with waste and causing a costly and inconvenient repair.

when you’re finished cooking, dispose of your grease in a bowl or container, let it cool, then store it for future use or dispose of it in the trash. You may want to install a drain trap to catch grease or food particles and keep your drain clean.

Don’t Ignore Small Drips

If you have a small drip in your sink or shower, don’t just let it go. Over time, that slow drip will waste gallons upon gallons of water. It can also lead to a burst pipe and water damage when it gets severe.

You can try to fix the drip on your own if you have some plumbing know-how. Turn off your water supply, disassemble the faucet, and clean or replace the washer or rings. If you still have a drip, call a plumber to fix it.

Avoid Liquid Drain Cleaners

Most homeowners rely on chemical drain cleaners for clogs and slow drains, but they can wreak havoc on your pipes. They may correct your clog quickly, but the corrosive chemicals degrade your pipes with regular use.

You can keep your pipes clean with gentle, natural solutions like baking soda and vinegar. If you use this solution regularly, you can clear out food scraps, hair, and residue to prevent buildup and clogs from happening. And if you do have a clog, call a plumber instead of reaching for the liquid drain cleaner.

Be Careful with Your Garbage Disposal

The garbage disposal is a necessity in many kitchens, but it’s not meant to take on all your food waste, including hard foods like animal bones, meat, or fibrous vegetables. It’s only designed to chop up soft foods and flush them easily down the drain.

If you put a lot of tough food into your garbage disposal regularly, you can end up with a buildup of food residue that will damage your blades, create a clog, and emit odors. Make sure you’re always running cold water when you use your garbage disposal to help flush food particles into the drain. Never use hot, as it can melt animal fat and cause it to stick to the blades.

Know When to DIY and When to Call a Pro

Some plumbing issues can be simple to tackle on your own, but others are deceptively complex. If you don’t have plumbing skills, you could make the problem worse or possibly injure yourself.

Plumbers have specialized training, equipment, and experience to identify and correct plumbing problems. If you don’t have those skills, call a plumber instead of taking on the job on your own.

Don’t Let Minor Problems Get Worse

Your plumbing system is crucial to your daily life, but it’s common to wait until problems become bigger to call in a professional. But when you wait, you could end up with much more expensive repairs, more urgency, and a lot more stress.

Keep up with the small things when they happen, including slow drains, weird noises, small leaks, or dripping faucets. These issues may not be huge, but they clue you in to possible problems lurking deeper in your plumbing system.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

Like the other systems and appliances in your home, the best thing you can do is keep up with routine maintenance for your plumbing system. Plumbers can check over your system and identify any minor problems and correct them early, saving you money and stress with big repairs and extending the longevity of your system.

If you need plumbing maintenance or repairs, contact us Proskill to schedule an appointment!