Home improvement and maintenance is far more than just cosmetic appearance, and the systems that run your house are vital. That being said, you probably don’t give a second thought to the water and sewage piping that give you water and get rid of waste.
It’s an issue of neglect, that needs to go away! Proper care of our systems, by both yourself at home and a trained professional, can prevent disaster further down the line. You can prevent leaks and burst pipes all by following a simple set of tips – have a read on to find out how!
Insulating your pipes
By insulating your pipework, you prevent the water inside from freezing during the cold winter months. If your pipes do freeze, they can burst, and we all know what a nightmare that can be!
Simply buy some cheap insulatory material from your local hardware store, and wrap it around your exterior pipes. You can even buy material that’s pre-cut to the right size. Insulation also shortens the amount of time you wait for hot water.
Pipe protection
Aside from the temporary measures you’ll hear about, there are plenty of long term protection solutions too. The key to most of these is to protect your pipes, as they’re the most important aspect of an efficient plumbing system.
For instance, you could look into pipe lining, a way to restore your pipes to their brand-new glory. Another way to care for your pipes long-term is to reduce water pressure. Buy a hose bib gauge from a hardware store and fix it to a spigot. Normal pressure levels are between 40 and 85 psi. If it’s above that, have a plumber install a pressure reducer.
Clogged and blocked drains
Using chemical-based cleaning products to unblock drains can actually make things worse. These chemicals eat away at your drains over time, and it does more harm than good. So, instead of buying these products, do something yourself instead.
One idea is to pour some salt down your drain, and flush it with boiling hot water. Or you can buy a snake from a hardware store, to flush the drain out by hand. In showers, use a filter to catch any hairs and empty the filter once a week.
The same goes for kitchens, too. Ensure you scrape all food debris off plates before washing them in the sink. Install a filter or shield on top of your plug to catch any larger chunks of food. Never pour liquid grease down the sink either. It’s only a liquid when it’s warm! When it cools down, it’ll turn solid and block your drain.
And that just about does it! The next time you have a bit of cash to spend on your home, consider pumping it into your plumbing instead of something else. The cosmetic look of your home is easy to fix, should something go wrong. What isn’t easy to fix, however, is the system of pipes and plumbing that snakes through your walls. Don’t neglect it!