Plumbing

If you’re a homeowner, one of the worst things that can happen to your home is water damage caused by a major plumbing failure. But with proper maintenance, these disasters are often preventable. Here are a few tips from the experts that will help you to avoid the plumbing calamities they see most often.

1. Know Where to Find Your Main Water Shut-Off Valve 

Your first line of defense against water damage is knowing the location of your main water shut-off valve. You will find it near your water meter, usually located at the front of your house. In the event of a water emergency, this valve allows you to immediately stop the flow of water and minimize the amount of water that can damage surfaces in your home. Even if you are a tenant, it’s a good idea to know where your shut-off valve is located and to routinely inspect it to make sure it is in working order. During winter, freezing conditions can harden the handle, so you may want to check it every few weeks to see if you can still turn it clockwise.

2. Prevent Broken Pipes

If you live in a place where temperatures drop below freezing, you don’t have to let your pipes freeze during the winter. This is one of the most common — and preventable — causes of broken pipes. You can prevent frozen pipes by simply wrapping them in heat tape and making sure that they are properly insulated. You can also let a small trickle of water run continuously in your kitchen and bathrooms when temperatures drop below 32 degree Fahrenheit. The movement of water through the pipes will prevent them from freezing.

3. Maintain Sink Drains 

Sink drains in your kitchen and bathrooms are prone to clogging with food particles, hair and other debris. Eventually, these flow stoppers can cause serious problems. You can prevent a plumbing emergency and costly repairs by avoiding pouring cooking oils and fatty fluids into the kitchen sink and by installing sink traps in bathrooms so that hair and soap particles will not pass through to the pipes.

4. Avoid Commode Clogs

It’s a sure bet that an overflowing toilet is something you’d like to avoid. To keep your toilet working properly, remember to only flush waste and toilet paper. Teach the kiddos not to put anything else in the toilet, and remind adults not to flush things like feminine hygiene products and paper towels. And here’s an eco-friendly toilet drain hack: flush it occasionally with a combination of baking soda and vinegar to help disintegrate accumulated paper in the pipes and avoid backups.

5. Inspect Your Water Heater

With proper care, a residential water heater can last a decade. Since this appliance is used on a daily basis, it is a good idea to inspect it regularly for possible leaks or problems. One suggestion to lengthen the lifespan of your water heater is to lower the temperature setting to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing this will prevent the apparatus from overheating.

A little preventative maintenance can go a long way in keeping your home’s plumbing systems in prime working order and saving you money on repairs. But if you are ready to upgrade your plumbing fixtures or have a plumbing problem you need help solving, the experts at 20/20 Plumbing & Heating, Inc. are at your service.

An industry leader in California and Nevada since 2015, 20/20 delivers reliable, state-of-the-art service. Our skilled tradespeople have the training and resources to meet your most challenging plumbing needs — on-time and in-budget. Contact 20/20 Plumbing & Heating to schedule service at: (844) 676-2020 or https://2020ph.com/contact/.