If you find that you’ve been putting off plumbing repairs or maintenance, why not make taking care of your plumbing one of your New Year’s resolutions? Your plumbing system is based on simple principles, but when something goes wrong with it, nothing else in your house seems to work the right way. Here are some things to consider.
Insulate Your Pipes
Insulation sleeves for your pipes are easy to find in any hardware store and are inexpensive. They’re invaluable in keeping your pipes from freezing up during a hard winter, so invest in some.
Buy Drain Guards
Like insulation sleeves, drain guards are also easy to find, plus they’re inexpensive and invaluable. They keep debris out of your drain pipes and therefore cut down on clogs.
Have Your Plumbing Inspected
Begin your year with a professional inspection of your plumbing system. A professional can find problems such as small leaks that may be hidden from you, pipes that need maintenance or replacement, and issues with your water heater or water softening system.
Be Gentle With the Garbage Disposal
Though you may believe your garbage disposal unit is a godsend, there are items you simply can’t put down it. These include stringy fruits and vegetables, large bones, and coffee grounds. If you’ve been tossing these items into your garbage disposal unit, now is the time to stop.
Fix Little Problems Quickly
If there’s something that seems minor, such as the appearance of water around the bottom of your toilet bowl, water that doesn’t heat as fast as it should, or hammering pipes, make a resolution to have it fixed right away.
Conserve Water
It has always been environmentally sound to conserve water, and nowadays, conserving water is even more important. Invest in low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets. You can also take small steps as turning off the water when you brush your teeth until you’re ready to rinse out your mouth.
Take Care of Your Water Heater
It’s very easy to ignore your water heater since most people have it in their basement, crawl space, or out of sight in a utility closet. Flush it at least once and ideally twice a year at the same time you check its temperature/pressure valve. Both things are easy to do and help your water heater work throughout its 15-year lifespan.
Flush Only Bodily Wastes and Toilet Paper Down the Toilet
There are some products that claim they can be flushed down the toilet, but unless that product is toilet paper, this is untrue. Toilet paper is meant to disintegrate when it’s flushed in ways that other items, including paper products, are not.
Learn More About New Year’s Plumbing Resolutions
When it comes to plumbing, a little bit of care and maintenance can go a long way toward avoiding large and expensive headaches in the future. For more ideas on how to care for your plumbing in the new year, contact us at Flatirons Plumbing in Arvada.
