6 Things Your Plumber Wants You to Do

Plumbing problems can be a devastating surprise to any homeowner. Luckily, if you regularly check for plumbing issues and avoid problem behaviour, you can ensure the health and longevity of your plumbing system.

1. Watch for Water Around the Base of the Toilet

Water on the floor around your toilet is a sign of a plumbing problem. Assuming the water isn't from a particularly messy shower or bath, this water can mean that the wax ring on the base of your toilet has failed. Not only is this failure a problem in and of itself, but the leaking water can permeate down into the flooring and cause a whole host of issues, like mould and rot.

2. Avoid Flushing Flushable Products

Flushable products sound like a dream come true, and at first they are. But give these products a few weeks or months, and they can create huge, expensive plumbing problems.

The main products you and your family should avoid flushing include wipes, kitty litter, floss, feminine hygiene products and other small bits and pieces, like contact lenses or bandage wrappers.

Many of these products, like wipes and tampons, simply don't break down the way toilet paper will—which is why toilet paper is safe to flush. Other products, like floss, may wrap around the pipes and create a blockage.

3. Maintain Your Pipes and Hoses

Did you know that burst pipes and hoses are some of the top causes of water damage? These problems can create a huge mess, and they can happen any time—including in the middle of the night, when you're at work or even when you're on vacation.

To prevent a burst pipe or hose, regularly inspect the plumbing in your home. In particular, pay close attention to your washing machine and ice-maker hoses. You want to check to make sure your plumbing doesn't show signs of age, cracks or bulges, and watch for flexible hoses that are twisted up.

4. Skip Putting a Brick in the Toilet Tank

This DIY tip was created in an effort to cheaply help homeowners use less water per flush. However, the damage this tip can create may quickly outprice the cost of a new eco-friendly toilet.

Although this idea makes sense in theory, your toilet is specifically designed to work a certain way, and that includes how much water should be used per flush. A change to this system can wreak havoc on your toilet's functionality.

In addition, bricks are not meant to be kept in water indefinitely, and so any bricks you have in your toilet can disintegrate and go down into your plumbing system. These brick bits can create clogs in the pipes or damage the pipes beyond repair.

If you want to investigate a more eco-friendly toilet option that's also safe for your plumbing system, talk with a plumbing professional about options that work for your home.

5. Check Your Meter Regularly

Sometimes the only early indication you have a plumbing problem is your water meter. Some plumbing issues are small things that build up over time, like a leak, and if you regularly monitor your meter, you can easily evaluate how much water your home has used.

This early indication can make the difference between a small issue that's easily fixed and a huge problem that requires thousands of dollars of work.

6. Stop Hanging Things From the Pipes

Your pipes have a very specific job, and when you, a family member or a guest hang items from the pipes, this action can create pressure on pipes that may already deal with a lot of pressure. Although this may seem like a harmless action, it can damage your pipes and even lead to a burst pipe.

If you need to schedule a maintenance check or repair for your plumbing system, contact S.P.K Plumbing & Civil. We'll get your plumbing system back in top shape.