When it comes to plumbing, maintenance is much less expensive than repairs, and most maintenance work can be done yourself. Why not take initiative and incorporate a plumbing tip or two to help preserve your plumbing and save some money?

Even if you aren’t adept at plumbing and other house work, you can do a few things to help avoid large repair bills in the future. Take a look at these tips regarding homeowner plumbing maintenance.

Plumbing Tip #1 – Water Heater Maintenance

• Drain your water heater every 3-6 months to remove sediment and avoid corrosion, rust, and other nasty culprits that lead to shortened tank life.
• If you have a gas powered water heater, check the pilot light and thermostat to assure that all are in good working order. A faulty thermostat can lead to water that isn’t kept hot or gets to a boiling temperature without proper regulation.

Plumbing Tip #2 – Drain Clogs

• Keep your drains as clear as possible to avoid backup that requires a drain snake or hydrojet cleaning. You can purchase drain cleaning solutions almost anywhere, or you can mix a solution with bleach or vinegar at home for maintenance.
• Keep your garbage disposal clear and the blades sharp to avoid clogs in your kitchen sink. Putting egg shells down the disposal will help sharpen blades for clearer drains.
• Don’t put grease down your kitchen sink, and use a strainer in your shower to catch hair that would otherwise clog the pipes. This will avoid major malfunctions in the future at a low cost.

Plumbing Tip #3 – Toilets

• Don’t flush toilet paper; use a waste bin, as paper can lead to backups that are not only costly to repair but also unwanted smell and mess in your bathroom.
• Check the chain inside the commode tank to be sure it’s tight and that water doesn’t leak. This will save on wasted water and also improve the pressure for flushing.
• Check the water pressure, since the valves leading to toilets are some of the weakest spots in your plumbing system and can easily burst with too much pressure, leading to flooding in your bathroom that does lots of costly damage.

This is just a start to home plumbing maintenance. Of course, for major disasters or plumbing emergencies, contact your local plumber. However, taking these steps can reduce the possibility of needing to make that call!