5 Tips to Help Prevent Plumbing Problems
These five tips can help you keep your home’s plumbing running well, prevent clogs, and protect your system:
1. Never Flush Wipes of Any Kind
This tip applies to so-called flushable wipes too, no matter what the label says. If you do keep these kinds of wipes in your bathrooms, let everyone know to only throw them in the trash bin in the bathroom.
As long as you are reminding everyone in your home about the never-flush-wipes rule, you may also want to share this list of no-no’s:
Tissues
Cotton balls
Cotton swabs
Tampons
Medications
Dental floss
Diapers (yes, this needs to be on every never-flush list)
Wipes of any kind also includes baby wipes and wet wipes, in addition to flushable and disinfectant wipes
2. Never Use the Garbage Disposal as a Garbage Can
It’s easy to think of the garbage disposal as your home’s mechanical garbage can, but there are definitely more things that should not be put in your kitchen disposal than there are things that are safe for it. Reminding everyone what is garbage-disposal-safe can help prevent clogs from jamming up the pipes system-wide.
3. Always Take 10 Minutes Between Each Shower
When everyone is home, it’s a good idea to remind family members to wait ten minutes between showers. Allowing those extra minutes in-between will let a home’s slower drains the time they need to do their job.
4. Never Use Chemical Drain Cleaners
If you do have a clog to fix, try tips for clearing clogged drains instead of chemical drain cleaners, which contain active ingredients that can damage plumbing. Drain cleaners may seem like easy, short-term fixes for clogs, but they can lead to long-term, costly problems. Use non-toxic drain cleaners; in a pinch, a solution of baking soda and vinegar can also clear most minor drain clogs. And invest in a good plunger for each bathroom. If your home’s plumbing tends to have tougher clogs, invest in a drain snake.
5. Always Add Drain Screens
If you have not done so already, install properly fitting drain screens and sink stoppers to prevent food, hair, and other things from going down the drain. These kinds of easy prevention can keep the pipes from stopping up.
One final note: You may notice with a house full of people that your water bill goes up. Heavier usage may be the culprit, but a sudden increase in your bill can also mean you have a leak somewhere. Be aware of certain things besides a high water bill that can be a sign of a leak:
Mildew stains on baseboards, walls, or floors
Damp or wet flooring (not from showering)
Water damage or stains on ceiling
Damp ground outside your home
