Let’s be honest for a second — indoor plumbing is one of the greatest conveniences of the modern age. Could you imagine managing your household without running water? Think about all the activities and functions that rely on running water, from washing dishes and laundry to showering and using the toilet to removing moisture from your basement sump.
But as great as indoor plumbing is, there are also those times when something goes terribly, terribly wrong. And in those situations, an emergency can be catastrophic, causing thousands of dollars in damage and even threatening your health and safety!
Fortunately, many of the most common plumbing emergencies can be avoided (or at least, their risks can be mitigated) if you take the right steps in your day-to-day life.
Here are the best practices you should follow in your household if you’re going to avoid common plumbing emergencies:
1. Be careful about what goes down drains and toilets. When you think of plumbing emergency, the first thing that might have come to your mind would be an overflowing toilet. (Pretty gross, right?) And the easiest way to avoid a stopped-up toilet is to avoid putting anything down the toilet that you shouldn’t — in other words, nothing but toilet paper and waste. Even small items like Q-tips and cotton swabs can get stuck lower in the pipes after they’re flushed away. Remember that sinks and bathtub drains are other places where you don’t want to wash anything away — because all of your pipes are connected, something that goes down one drain could end up stopping up another drain.
2. Avoid chemical drain cleaners. While the marketing on chemical drain cleaners makes some pretty bold promises, what they don’t tell you is that these abrasive products come with their share of risks. Specifically, the chemicals are so strong that they can eat away at your pipes. This means your pipes could develop leaks further down the road. Best to avoid the chemicals and stick to natural products if you don’t want a flood at some point.
3. Insulate your pipes. Another common crisis that might come to your mind when you hear “plumbing emergency” is a frozen pipe. When the temperature around your pipes gets too cold, all the water that’s left sitting in there freezes — and when water freezes, it increases in size. To avoid the terrible problem of a broken pipe, insulate your pipes to keep them warm even during cold months. Pipes are often located in places that are out of sight, like inside the cabinets under your kitchen sink, and these places don’t get the best access to heat during the winter months. Insulation will help them maintain heat better than they would if they were left bare.
4. Know where your main water shutoff valve can be found. The next time you call a plumber to your house, have them show you where your main water shutoff valve is. If you even do find yourself in an emergency like a broken pipe, you can prevent the problem from escalating by turning off the water. You’ll still see some damage, but it won’t be as bad as it would be if you just let water run nonstop.
5. Be diligent about repairs on your major appliances. Appliances get old and wear out. But a little bit of professional TLC every so often will ensure that you get the most out of their life and that they don’t break unexpectedly, potentially leaving you with a huge mess to clean up. Your hot water tank, your toilet tank, your icemaker, and your garbage disposal are all appliances you want to have inspected regularly.
6. Address leaks as soon as you can. If you have a sink or a shower that’s plip, plip, plipping all the time, you might have learned to ignore the sound. And you can’t imagine the added cost to your water bill is really all that much, right? You plan to address the problem as soon as it’s convenient. Unfortunately, this could mean a major problem because it puts undue stress on your plumbing system. Instead, take care of leaks as quickly as you can once you notice them.
7. Don’t hang anything on exposed pipes. Those pipes might look sturdy, so you think it’s okay to hang something from them — a mop, a scrub brush, maybe even a bag of cleaning rags. Whatever it is, find a different place for it. Even a small amount of weight can damage your pipes, leaving you prone to a flood the next time that water access is turned on.
8. Drain your water heater tank regularly. When so much water is being drawn in and sent out of your hot water tank, it’s bringing small amounts of sediment with it. After years of never draining your water heater tank, this sediment can build up and cause major blockages. Have a plumber drain your water heater tank every two to three years.
If you’d like a professional to inspect the plumbing in your home and give you specific feedback about problem areas, our team is happy to help you out. Call us today at 410-768-5350.