Small Guide for Taking Care of Your Home Pipes

Gabriella
by Gabriella
$000
2 Days
Medium
Let’s be completely honest here. We all completely forget to take care of the pipes in our homes before it’s too late, and then, when they break down, we complain about it. That’s the truth.
If you’re one of those people who simply forget about the pipes in your home, it’s time to change that. The best time to start taking care of the pipes in your home was when you bought your house or apartment. The second best time to start is right now. So, let’s get down and dirty and let’s teach you how to spot small problems before they start becoming big ones.
Be on the lookout
Always keep an eye out for trouble. If you see a droplet or a small puddle somewhere where you have not seen it before – investigate. The same goes for leaking faucets and even damp or moldy cabinets. Those are the first signs of potential trouble, and they need attention.
Check water pressure
You can prolong the life of your home pipes by going really easy on the water pressure. High pressure can damage your pipes and cause leaks at the same time. High water pressure certainly might be perfect for those long showers, but you should keep the pressure somewhere between 50 and 75 pounds per square inch.
Keep fats, oils, and grease out of your pipes
Fat, oils, and grease will clog and destroy your home pipes over time. According to Business Insider, the fats in the grease and oil from your kitchen mix with the other chemicals in the sewers and form nasty conglomerations of chemicals that can build up and block the pipes that take our dirty water to the wastewater treatment plant.
Don’t just stop pouring grease down the drain. Take a step further. Wipe your pans with paper towels before washing them to make sure that excess grease is gone.
Prevent frozen pipes
Insulate water pipes before cold weather strikes, because when it strikes, it will already be too late. Insulate any exposed pipes by yourself to save money, and put caps on any exposed fixtures.
Soften the water
Hard or moderate water can severely damage the pipes, and if you’re living in a hard-water area, consider installing a water softener. If you’re not sure whether you’re living in an area like that, check your faucets and showerheads. If there’s a white build up on them – that’s because of hard water.
Installing a water softener is tricky, and you should not try to do it yourself. Any professional plumber in North Shore should install it, so avoid any potential problems by making the right call. Never try to do something yourself if you’re not sure how to do it. Leave that job to the professionals.
Reduce water usage
We’re all guilty of wasting water. If you’re like most people, and you leave the water running while you’re washing dishes, stop doing that right now. Fill the faucet with water and wash them. An even better idea would be getting a dishwasher. Dishwashers use significantly less water and energy, and you’ll save both the pipes and money at the same time.
There’s one thing that you really need to know, and that’s where your main water shut-off valve is. Even if you take good care of your home pipes, you never know what might happen. Find out where that valve is before it is too late. If there’s ever a leak in your house, shut it off and call the professionals to fix the problem.
Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • Deborah's List Deborah's List on Nov 12, 2019

    What do you do to turn the water going to the toilet off when the knob won't budge?

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