Jonathan

Simple Things You Can Do to Prolong the Life of Your Plumbing

You may want to grab a calculator. But you’ll probably get the idea even without it.

If you brushed your teeth this morning, it is likely that you used two gallons of water. Once you were finished showering, you would have utilized up to 5 gallons of water per minute (though no one was monitoring the amount of time you spent in there). Rather than using 36 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, that amount is still better.

If you did the dishes from last night’s meal manually, you likely consumed between 8 and 27 gallons of water. It can be a lot of work to hand wash dishes, and that’s why energy advocates suggest using a dishwasher instead. It uses only between 6 and 16 gallons.

It may be tempting to ignore all of the water containers or plastic containers you filled up today. It’s true that water is beneficial for you, however, don’t get too excited just yet. Every time you used the toilet, around 3 gallons of water were discharged.

Your “tab” equals 100 gallons per day.

No matter if you choose to overestimate or underestimate, the total amount of water used in the U.S. will be somewhere between 80 and 100 gallons. The Department of Energy approximates that the average American consumes energy daily. Using 100 as a benchmark makes it straightforward to determine how much water your household uses.

Given the usage your plumbing receives every single day, it’s understandable that you’d like to extend the lifespan of the pipes in your house. Don’t be concerned: you can still operate the taps. You can still increase the intensity of the water in the shower. And you can flush to your heart’s content.

The professionals from the plumbing team can attest to the efficacy of these plumbing suggestions and checklists. Their assistance will extend the life of your plumbing system, as well as save you money on your water bill.

First, Get Proactive

Become a student of plumbing.

No licensing test is required, but you can be ready to do small plumbing repairs by studying the advice of professionals in online articles. Registering for plumbing lessons at a nearby home improvement outlet. Make sure to put together a tool set as you start getting familiar with plumbing.

Know thy shut-off.

Find the main water valve for your home and figure out how to operate it if you haven’t already done so. It may be the sole method to prevent a pipe burst from causing your house to be inundated with water. Keep any tools necessary for a fast shut-off close at hand.

Know thy shut-offs, part 2.

While you’re at it, figure out how to turn off the water supply to your home’s toilets, sinks, washing machine, and any other devices that require water. When they misbehave – because it is inevitable – avoiding a connection could protect your pipes from harm and help you avoid spending numerous hours on clean-up.

Keep your eyes open for corrosion.

Searching for valves is an excellent opportunity to look for signs of corrosion on pipes and stains of yellow, orange or green on shut-off valves. If you notice them, contact the professionals right away to change the part.

Maintain your (water) pressure.

Check the water pressure in your home with a gauge to make sure it is between 40 and 85 psi. Putting too much pressure on your plumbing network will put excessive strain on it. Experts can put in a pressure regulator that can reduce the amount to something more secure.

Develop Water-Wise Habits

Avoid toilet clogs.

Tempting as it may be when you’re in a hurry, you should never put anything other than toilet paper down a toilet as it could cause blockages, flooding, and even destruction. Disposable baby and hand wipes should be thrown away. Always.

Prevent sink and shower drain clogs.

Put screens over the drains in the bathrooms and kitchen of your home to keep hair, food, and soap from blocking the pipes. Plus, the screens make cleanup a snap.

Sidestep clog-removal products.

Ads can be persuasive, however, they do not share the information that some of the strong mixtures can hurt pipes in homes. It is preferable to use protective measures on a regular basis instead of relying on dangerous materials.

Space your showers.

Allow a gap of at least 10 minutes between showers to maintain an even water pressure. And if someone at home balks? Instruct the person to utilize the time effectively by running the ventilation fan to draw out the humidity from the room.

Embrace Regular Indoor Maintenance

Repair drips and leaks without delay.

Run-off and seepage can have more than one consequence; they can ruin plumbing pieces and lead to destruction to the walls, floors, and furniture. If you are not able to take care of a dripping tap or patch up a leak by yourself, then contact Experts for help. Plumbing is one of our proudest specialties.

Tend to a running toilet.

It’s incredible that the inner components of a toilet can last as long as they do, considering how much use they get in the course of a month. Nevertheless, toilets do not have an infinite lifespan, and a toilet that keeps running is an indication that it is time to head to the hardware store for some new plumbing components.

Caulk with purpose.

No one is an instant expert in caulking. With a little bit of practice, you will quickly become an expert at fixing your toilets, sinks, and showers. It is essential to fix or replace any worn out caulk before beginning.

Clear slow drains.

Sinks, tubs and showers that are blocked up will experience a decrease in water flow speed as time goes on. Make yourself take care of these issues before they become too big and you end up with a flooded mess. You’ll put less pressure on your pipes, too.

Clean faucet aerators.

Here’s a trick: It looks like there’s low water pressure, but it might not be. Frequently, a buildup of calcium within a faucet aerator is the cause. Take out the aerators and clean them using vinegar to get the water running smoothly once more.

Check your washing machine hoses.

Insurance companies often receive very costly claims resulting from bulges, leaks, and splits in washing machine hoses that have burst. The hoses should be changed out at least once every three years. The machine should be positioned at least 4 inches away from the wall to stop the hose from being damaged.

Prevent freezing pipes.

Although living in Northern California doesn’t require us to be overly concerned about the possibility of frozen pipes, we still can’t be careless about insulating the pipes in the garage, basement, or any other cold area.

Maintain Your Exterior Plumbing, Too

Scheduling regular sewer drain maintenance, especially if you live on a heavily wooded lot where tree rots can cause huge blockages. “Snaking” is a smart preventive measure that will avert a full stoppage and damage to your pipes.
Scheduling biannual checks of your septic system, if you have one.
Disconnecting your outdoor hoses in the fall and turning off the water to avoid a pipe burst.

Household Plumbing Inspection Checklist

Bathroom

Faucets. It is the sink, tub, and shower faucets that most often need attention in a bathroom. Check them regularly for leaks. Replace bad washers or cartridges to remedy dripping faucets. Water supply lines hidden in the walls for tub and shower drains can be especially problematic since such hidden leaks can cause major damage before you even spot it. Hidden water pipe leaks often reveal themselves with signs of water damage in the room below the plumbing pipes. Watch the operation of faucets as you run the water—if you notice weak water pressure or an irregular spray pattern, it may be because there is calcium buildup on the aerator. Aerators can be removed and cleaned manually, or calcium buildup can be removed by soaking in vinegar.
Drains. Tub, shower, and sink drains in a bathroom are especially prone to soap and hair clogs, and rather than waiting for these to become full blockages, you should periodically clear the drain with boiling water or another homemade method, use a drain blocker, and remove hair and debris from the tub or drain blocker promptly.
Toilets. A toilet has many working parts, and any one of them can wear down and cause problems. Remove the tank lid on the toilet and watch what happens as you flush it. A toilet that continues to run rather than shutting off at the end of the flush cycle is wasting a lot of water. Fixing a running toilet is often remarkably easy. If your toilet rocks slightly when you sit on it, or if you notice water seeping around its base, then it is likely that the wax ring that seals the toilet base to the drain opening has worn out and needs to be replaced.
Caulk seals. Although the caulk around tubs and showers is not actually “plumbing,” when caulking fails, it can allow water from a bathtub or shower to get behind walls and under floors, and the resulting water damage can be catastrophic. Periodically check all caulk beads along floors and walls to make sure it is intact. Seal any gaps you find with fresh caulk. Every few years, it is a good idea to remove the old caulk and apply a new bead of high-quality silicone tub-and-shower caulk.

Kitchen

Sink drains. The kitchen sink gets lots of use, and a sink strainer is a common place where leaking can occur. Watch the strainer area and the P-trap as water in the sink drains out. P-trap fittings may need to be tightened, and the strainer basket should be replaced when it begins to leak or becomes corroded. A sink that drains too slowly may have a clog building in the P-trap or branch drain; these fittings can be disassembled and cleaned out. Clean the kitchen sink drain occasionally. Running a mild homemade drain cleaner made of vinegar, baking soda, and water through your kitchen sink drain regularly will help to break up the usual buildup in the drain and keep the water flowing.
Faucets. A leaky kitchen faucet is the single most common plumbing repair there is, and it can quietly waste hundreds of gallons of water each year. Watch your faucet carefully as you operate the lever, and repair the faucet if it requires it.
Shutoff valves. The fixture shutoff valves that control the water supply to the sink faucet, dishwasher, and refrigerator water lines are intended to completely shut off the flow of water when they are closed. During your inspection, close the valves tightly and make sure they operate as intended. If they do not shut off the water completely, they should be replaced.
Garbage disposer. Problems with garbage disposers usually are found in the drain connections where a dishwasher discharge connects to the disposer, or where the disposer discharge runs to the sink drain. Inspect these points and tighten the connections or replace the gaskets if they show signs of leaking. A garbage disposer that has a foul smell should be cleaned. Follow the manufacturer’s advice for routine maintenance of the garbage disposal.
Dishwasher. During your inspection tour, take a few minutes to watch and listen to the dishwasher in action. A dishwasher that is slow to fill may have a problem with the water supply hose or the shutoff valve that controls it. If the dishwasher is slow to drain, or if drain water remains in the bottom of the dishwasher after the cycle is over, inspect the water discharge hose for clogs or pinching.
Refrigerator. A refrigerator with a water dispenser and icemaker should have its filter replaced regularly—most manufacturers recommend twice each year. A clogged filter can block water flow to the dispenser or icemaker. Also, check the water supply hose for signs of wear; replace it if necessary.

Septic and Sewer

Maintain the septic system. If you have a septic system with a drain field (common in rural areas) avoid problems by having the system inspected and serviced regularly. With a tank system, have the tank pumped out whenever it becomes full. For drainage field systems, make sure your family knows what kinds of materials should not go down the drain. Many experts suggest that you avoid flushing food materials into a septic system. Bleach-based cleaners should also be avoided since these interfere with the biological breakdown of wastes that is essential to a septic system.
Maintain your sewer main. If your house is served by municipal sewer lines, prevent mainline blockages through regular maintenance. For homes that see periodic stoppages, usually caused by tree roots in the sewer lines, an annual snaking of the line by a professional sewer service will prevent floor drains from backing up into the home. You can evaluate the effectiveness of the sewer line by emptying all sinks and tubs at the same time and seeing if a floor drains back up or if it takes a long time for all the drains to empty. Watch for signs of a pending sewer drain clog and deal with them before they become full-blown stoppages.
Inspect vent pipes. An integral part of your home’s drain and sewer system are the vent pipes that equalize air pressure and vent sewer gases. These pipes usually exit through the top of your roof, and if they become blocked with debris or snow and ice, the drain system in your house will not work as effectively. During your tour of the plumbing system, visually inspect the vent pipes extending through your roof for signs of blockage. You will likely have several of these vent pipes in your roof—one for each main soil stack, and often secondary vent pipes, as well.