Looking After Your Plumbing Systems: 8 DIY Plumbing Tips You Should Know
Your property’s plumbing systems are incredibly important, but often, this is something we overlook until issues arise. However, this shouldn’t necessarily be the case – and luckily, our team is on hand today to help you find out more about looking after your property’s plumbing systems and the different DIY plumbing tips you could potentially consider to help keep your plumbing in good condition.
8 DIY Plumbing Tips You Should Know
As a homeowner, keeping your property’s plumbing systems in good condition is crucial. However, it’s easy to avoid giving your plumbing the TLC and care it deserves. Nonetheless, there are several DIY steps you can take to look after your plumbing systems, which may include the following points.
#1 Avoid Blocking Plumbing with Oils and Grease
After finishing a hearty meal, it’s often tempting to rinse any grease and residue straight down the drain – but this can actually be a major mistake. Indeed, in many cases, oil and grease can get stuck around the edges of pipes and at bends in the plumbing, especially. And while this may not cause a significant degree of damage at the outset, this can worsen over time.
As such, to keep your plumbing in good condition, avoid putting oils and grease down the drain. Removing as much grease as possible before cleaning plates and utensils is often safer.
#2 Be Careful with Solids
Along a similar line of thought to the previous point, it’s incredibly easy to accidentally block your pipes if you flush solid particles down the drain (when they are not supposed to be). Notably, this is a common issue with kitchen sinks and the like, where large amounts of food can get drained away over time. However, this may also occur with baths and showers in some cases, especially if you’re likely to be washing away large amounts of debris or dirt (think muddy pet paws and the like).
#3 Be Careful With Pipe Unblockers
So, you’ve got a blocked pipe. The obvious thing to do is unblock it, right? Well, no, not necessarily. In fact, while removing the blockage is undoubtedly crucial, it’s important to keep in mind here that some products and tools can do more harm than good.
As such, if you have noticed a blockage in your pipe, don’t immediately reach for harsh chemical cleaners or sharp dislodging instruments. These stand a high chance of damaging the pipes themselves, which can be a much more significant issue than you may have originally accounted for.
#4 Be Careful When Drilling
Many people overlook just how easy it can be to accidentally puncture or damage a pipe when drilling into the walls. As a result of this, if you are planning any DIY home decor activities around your home, we strongly recommend taking a more cautious approach to drilling and always checking the location of pipes before getting started.
#5 Address Leaks ASAP
Leaks can seem like a minor problem in many cases, but this isn’t wholly true, and while they can start as a slight inconvenience, they can develop into something far more serious. Notably, a slight water leak can become a worse crack; otherwise, the dripping water can leak into the walls and cause more severe structural damage to the property. As such, repairing or replacing leaking pipes as soon as possible is integral.
#6 Watch Out for Overtightened Fittings
In many cases, overtightening fittings can seem like a good way to prevent issues from arising again in the future. The reality is often far from this, though, and overtightened fittings can have less than positive results. Notably, stripped screws and broken bolts are common complications of overtightened fittings, and this is well worth keeping in mind if you are doing any DIY plumbing work.
Instead of resorting to an overtightened fitting, why not consider using Plumber’s Tape (Teflon tape)? Rather than having to excessively tighten the joints and fittings for your property, this simple option can help ensure a tight seal and prevent leaks, all the while creating a more durable system. If you do decide to use Teflon Tape, keep in mind that most household plumbing projects will usually use white tape, while yellow tape will often be used in gas line connections and the like.
#7 Keep a Close Eye on the Thermostat and Temperature
One of the most common issues to arise in homes around the country is issues with your boiler’s thermostat and temperature, which can leave you struggling with a cold house and frigid water supply. As such, keeping an eye on the thermostat and water temperature regularly is crucial.
If you begin to notice that things aren’t quite as warm as they should be, double check that the settings are formatted properly and that there aren’t any major issues that could be impacting the function of the boiler. If neither of these seems to be the case, you may want to look at the possible next steps to restore the heating system’s functionality.
#8 Know When to Call in the Professionals
At the end of the day, while there are many potential options to help enable DIY plumbing approaches and the like, there’ll come a limit at some point – and this is when you need to know when to call in the professionals.
Expert local teams often provide essential plumbing services, making their support critical for a safe home. As such, we strongly recommend you contact an expert local team if anything more complicated should arise. But remember: not every team of plumbers necessarily provides the same level of service and support. As such, always choose a team that prides itself on quality, reliable, and thorough plumbing support, such as Spartan Plumbing Dayton OH, to get the best solutions for your home.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your home in good condition shouldn’t have to be an impossible goal; in line with this thought, maintaining your plumbing systems is crucial, and there are plenty of DIY methods you can use to help. However, if things seem a little too complex for your experience level, make sure to reach out to a professional local plumbing team for support.