The Most Important Dos and Don’ts with House Plumbing

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Unfortunately, no one hands you a rule book on plumbing when you first move into a new house, so you may not be sure about what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong with your drains, pipes and fixtures. To get a crash course on plumbing, read this list of dos and don’ts that everyone should follow:

Don’t: Put the Wrong Things down the Drain

Your drains aren’t garbage cans. Just because the contents disappear from the sink basin or the toilet bowl, that doesn’t mean they’ll slide down the pipes and into the local wastewater system. In fact, most things are likely to get stuck in the pipes and create terrible clogs.

As a general rule, only flush toilet paper, water and human waste down your toilet. For the kitchen sink, you should only allow water, soap suds and the majority of liquids to go down the drain. Oil and hot grease seem like they would be fine to pour into the sink because they’re liquids. These are actually common sources of drain clogs, so keep them out of the sink.

Do: Get Drain Catchers

A simple way to keep your drains clean is to use these handy accessories. Put drain catchers in all of your bathroom sinks, showers and bathtubs to prevent disgusting hair clogs. Adding one to your kitchen sink will stop any food scraps from slipping down the drain while you’re washing dishes.

Don’t: Try DIY

When you spot a simple plumbing problem like a toilet paper clog, you can grab a plunger and fix it yourself. But you should steer clear of anything more complicated than that, like fixing a major leak or replacing a fixture. Major plumbing work is considered one of the home improvements to never DIY because it’s easy to make a terrible mistake and cost yourself hundreds in repairs.

Do: Call a Professional Plumber for Help

When you notice a sink clog that won’t go away or a leaking pipe in your basement, you should contact a trusted local plumbing company like RelianceHomeComfort Edmonton for their professional assistance. They have a team of licensed plumbers on call to do cleaning, repairs and replacements. If you’re not sure what’s wrong with the plumbing, they can always send someone over to inspect your system and diagnose the problem in a flash.

Do: Learn What to Do for Emergencies

When you talk to a plumbing expert, ask them how you can prepare yourself for home plumbing emergencies like basement floods or burst pipes. They can give you tips on what you can do during these scenarios to stay safe, reduce damage and fix the issue as soon as possible.

Keeping food scraps, hair and un-flushable items from going down the drain will prevent stubborn clogs. Avoiding DIY will stop you from making any expensive mistakes. And learning what to do in an emergency will come in handy whenever water starts gushing onto your floor. Basically, knowing how to treat your home plumbing system properly will save you lots of money and time in the future.