Good Habits: How To Keep Your Home’s Plumbing In Good Shape

1. Don’t treat your drains like a garbage dump.

Among plumbing issues, clogged pipes, and sewer lines are the most common. Clogs and blockages in drain lines occur mostly because of what we put down the drain. Food scraps, fats, oil, grease, and peels do not belong in the drain. Throw them in the disposal bin instead of letting them go in your kitchen sink drain because these types of food waste can solidify inside the pipe and lead to clogs over time.

This same rule applies to toilet drains. Never throw anything other than toilet paper in the drain, including hairs, soapy shampoos, and other debris to avoid serious clogs. Call your local plumbing contractor in Oakland regularly to ensure you have clean and well-functioning drains.

Tips to prevent clogs

Here are some tips to help you prevent clogs.

• Use drain filters. They are an easily available and affordable way of protecting your plumbing system from clogging.
• Clean your drain with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Let the fizz sit for at least 5 to 7 minutes before pouring down hot water to rinse it off. 
• Use a plumbing snake or other tools instead of chemical pipe cleaners, as they can damage your plumbing system.
• Be mindful of what you are dropping down the drain.

1. Overtightening of faucets causes problems.

It is no secret that a faulty washer causes leaking faucets, but did you know that a washer can get worn down if you overtighten a faucet? Overtightening can cause cracks in fittings, leading to irreversible damage over time. 

You won’t experience the damage immediately since it can take several weeks or even months for issues to show up. 

Tips to prevent faucet damage

• Always tighten the faucet as required to let the water keep flowing easily. 
• Reach out to reputed plumbers in Oakland, CA when you need plumbing help instead of DIY-ing to ensure no damage happens.