Hardly a week goes by we don’t get a call to fix some major and often expensive residential plumbing problems that were years in the making. The good news is you can often avoid many of these plumbing disasters by taking some simple precautions. Read on to learn about four bad habits that can seriously damage your home’s plumbing over the years.
Dumping Grease and Food Scraps Down the Garbage Disposal
Perhaps the most common bad habit people have that damages plumbing in homes across this great state is the practice of dumping heaps of food scraps from their dinner plates, pots and pans straight down the garbage disposal. Follow that with dumping leftover grease from frying pans down the sink, too, and you have a recipe for disaster.
This accumulation of grease, fat trimmings, potato peels, eggshells and other assorted food waste eventually creates clogs in your pipes. It might get past your kitchen sink, but that doesn’t mean you’re home free.
Some of that food and grease cling to the insides of your pipes, They eventually clog the main drain line that leads to the sewers at the street. When that happens, every drain in your home could start to back up. So, we can’t stress enough how important it is to dump your grease and food scraps into the trash rather than the garbage disposal.
Flushing Anything But Toilet Paper Down the Toilet
That same concept also applies to your bathroom. The only thing you should be flushing down your toilets is toilet paper because it’s designed to break down when it comes in contact with water. But many people are in the habit of also dumping paper towels, baby wipes, cigarette butts and other kinds of nondegradable items down the toilet.
Many parents of small children — along with some unlucky babysitters and grandparents — can attest that some toddlers are in the habit of flushing small toys down the toilet. You’d be surprised at some of the things we find when families hire us for drain clog removal services. Perhaps installing a latch on the outside of the door can keep them from wandering in.
Overusing Harsh Chemical Clog Removers
Another bad habit that damages your pipes is the overuse of store-bought clog removers. Although they work fairly well at unclogging your kitchen sink, these commercial drain cleaners contain strong chemicals. They can actually damage your plumbing if used too often. Not only that, but they can even damage your skin and eyes if they splash up into your face.
A better alternative is to call a professional plumber. Using mechanical methods like drain snaking is actually much better for your plumbing in the long run. And with state-of-the-art technology, we can pinpoint the exact location and cause of your drainage issues. It doesn’t matter if they’re under your sink, in your walls, under your house or halfway out to the street.
Putting Off Plumbing Repairs and Maintenance
Lastly, without question, the worst habit that can create all kinds of expensive plumbing problems and headaches for homeowners is deferred maintenance. Many homeowners will invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into purchasing their home, only to let it gradually waste away due to a lack of regular maintenance and timely repairs. Please don’t let your home investment go down the drain by putting off plumbing repairs.
If you’ve got a leaky faucet, slow shower drains or discoloration on your walls or ceilings that hints at leaky pipes, don’t wait for the ceiling to collapse or the sewer to back up. We’ll come out immediately, diagnose the problem correctly and get the job done right for a fair price. Contact Woods Comfort Systems for plumbing repairs today.
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