The trouble with most plumbing and drains is that you don’t see them coming. Suddenly, and seemingly from nowhere, they just appear. And all at once, you need to decide how to proceed to get the situation under control and, ultimately, resolved.
Here are a few tips designed to help you know what to look for, and how to react if and when a plumbing or drain problem erupts.
Keep an eye out for water leaks. Small water leaks can lead to big problems. Be alert to signs that more trouble is on the way: leaking faucets, damp cabinets, rocking toilets or dripping refrigerators are symptoms that should not be ignored.
Repair problems early. A leaking faucet isn’t just annoying; the moisture it releases puts wear on sink fixtures and can encourage the growth of mold and mildew. Water can also leak from the water line connection behind your refrigerator and, unless you pull it away from the wall periodically, you might not be aware of it before collateral damage occurs. That includes damage to your sub-flooring, an electrical short, or water stains on a ceiling below.
Know how to respond to plumbing overflows. If water is gushing from your sink, toilet, or anywhere else, locate your main water shut-off valve. If it’s in a dark, hidden, or hard-to-reach place, gather any tools you’ll need for a quick shut-off, and store them nearby should they become necessary to get ahold of. There’s nothing like the frustration of a missing flashlight or a misplaced shut-off key when water’s going where it pleases.
Locate your sewer shut-off valve. Your sewer shutoff valve exists to minimize damage from an overflowing toilet. Find it, learn how to use it, and you’ll save yourself a lot of grief should the need arise.
Prevent future clogging. Blocked drains and toilets are more annoying. Backed-up water places added pressure on your waste pipes, stressing them and shortening their lifespan. You can help avoid plug-ups by being careful about what goes down your drains. That means keeping food scraps out of kitchen drains, hair out of bathroom drains, and anything but sewage and toilet paper out of toilets.
Keep the Grease Out. Grease is only a liquid when it’s hot. Once it’s been poured down a drain and cools off, it solidifies and sticks to the inside of your pipes. Over time, it will attract food scraps and other solids to itself on the way to a completely blocked drain. To prevent all that from happening, pour your grease and other cooking oils into a disposable container, and not down the drain.
If you all follow these and other plumbing maintenance tips, does it mean you’ll never have another plumbing or drain problem? Not at all. But you’ll have fewer of them, and save plenty of money while you’re at it. And yet, any time the need does arise, just contact KP Drainflo for any home plumbing or drain need. We provide guaranteed upfront price quotes guarantee your complete satisfaction.