Tips for Modernizing Your Home Creating a Safe and Clean Living Environment
It’s no secret that people tend to ignore things invisible to the naked eye. More often than not, we’ll end up combing the front part of our hair better than the back. However, while this unwritten rule applies to mundane and irrelevant actions, it applies to more serious aspects of our lives as well. Thus, instead of checking the plumbing in the kitchen or the toilet system in the bathroom, we opt to ignore the problems that aren’t right in front of us. Unfortunately, these types of problems don’t go away on their own and only end up causing more damage further down the road. Thus, in the hopes of avoiding a ruined carpet and flooded dining room, here are a few essential tips for keeping your family home a plumbing emergency-free zone!
Maintain your pipes in premium condition
While water pipes are made of some of the most durable materials on the market, they’re not built to last forever. Over time, even the best pipes will sustain damage caused by rust, water, corrosion, or possibly all of the above. Thus, regular pipe maintenance is recommended in houses and apartments alike – and especially in older residential buildings. Even though it may escape the naked eye, pipes in older buildings are often hanging on by a thread, meaning that you’ll need to do a complete re-piping to avoid any serious damage further down the road.
When it comes to pipe maintenance, another thing to keep in mind is the climate. If you live in a place with particularly cold winters, there’s always the risk of your pipes freezing over. Once this happens, you’re running the risk of a pipe bursting all over the living room carpet. Fortunately, with proper pipe insulation and maintenance over the years, this problem is easily avoidable.
Get ahead of drain blockages
When hearing the words plumbing emergency, most people will think of a drain blockage. Alongside being the most advertised plumbing problem, a drain blockage is also the most common one. It can occur in the shower, bathroom basin, and kitchen sink – just about any place not equipped with garbage disposal. Because of both neglect and debris that accumulates over time, drains are prone to blockages every so often. Fortunately, there is a very affordable solution to this – mesh sink strainers. Because of its size and position, the strainer will catch all the debris that even the garbage disposal never could. Thus, alongside avoiding hair getting caught in the drain, you also won’t have to worry about chicken bones, fruit pits, or corn husks any longer.
Have your emergency plumber on speed dial
Even though there are issues you’ll be able to solve on your own, some plumbing problems simply require a professional. Because of this, it’s always good to have trusted emergency plumbers a dial away. Professional plumbers will be able to locate the problem and find the best solution for the lowest possible price. On top of that, emergency plumbers are used to stressful situations. While you may be losing your bearings over a pipe burst, they’ll know exactly what to do without skipping a beat. Thus, when moving to a new area, go through the yellow pages and ask around the neighborhood – this way, you’ll already have an emergency plumber on speed dial if anything goes the wrong way.
Never neglect your toilet
While a drain blockage may be the most popular plumbing mishap, a clogged toilet is definitely the most unpleasant. Depending on the culprit, a toilet overflow can cost a pretty penny and take a while to repair. To stay on the safe side, avoid flushing anything that could block the system, such as feminine products, leftover food, or diapers. All these items could cause serious damage to the drainage system and complicate your life in ways you never thought possible. Keep this in mind, especially when dealing with older septic systems that tend to be particularly picky – with them, even flushable wipes are a no.
Summing up
While the plumbing advice above may not come off as novel, it is something most of us neglect to do for our homes. Doing a maintenance check before the first snow or getting a new mesh sink strainer are chores that seem to get lost in our hectic day-to-day lives. Nevertheless, they’re important ones that deserve a place on our checklist as they help us avoid a lot of stress and cost further down the road.
About the author: Stella Van Lane is a passionate traveler and writer, in love with coffee, food & wine, interior design, books, and good vibes.
