Putting a Stop to Leaks, Clogs and Flood Damage

You rely on your home’s plumbing to run smoothly, but unseen troubles can hide in many places. Luckily, you can avoid clogs, leaking and floods with a little preventive maintenance. Here’s how you can keep your water running and your worries at bay.

1. Know What Not to Put in the Drain

Many kitchen sinks may be equipped with a garbage disposal, but certain food items still not rinsed down the drain, such as:

• Grease from cooking
• Stringy foods like corn cobs and celery stalks
• Sticky foods like boiled rice or coffee grounds
• Solid objects such as fruit pits and bones
• Non-food items. Silverware and similar items may end up in the disposal and cause damage when you turn it on.

2. Be Aware of What Not to Flush

Toilets are designed to safely remove human waste and toilet paper. Here’s what you should never flush:

• Wet wipes
• Paper towels
• Cotton swabs and cotton balls
• Sanitary products
• Baby diapers
• Floss
• Old medication

3. Use Mesh Strainers

Another effective way to avoid clogging is to place drain strainers over your kitchen sinks and bathroom drains. They collect hair, bits of soap, old toothpaste and other debris as water runs down the drain. these strainers to keep your drains working properly.

4. Locate the Main Water Shutoff Valve

Being knowledgeable about your plumbing system means knowing the location of your main water shutoff valve. This valve controls water coming into your home, so knowing where it is means you can turn it off quickly in a plumbing emergency. It’s also wise to close this valve before leaving town for an extended period. Common locations for the main shutoff valve include the basement, near the water heater, in a utility closet or outside the home buried underground.

5. Get a Sump Pump

Installing a sump pump will go a long way toward preventing floods, especially in climates prone to lots of rain. This device extracts water that collects in the sump basin, generally installed in the floor of your basement, and expels it away from the house. If you already have a sump pump, check it every now and then by pouring water into the pit. As long as the pump activates and the pit drains, it’s working fine. If it doesn’t work properly, you have time to call a professional to fix the pump before another rainstorm.

6. Put in Flood Alarms

Just as smoke alarms are a big part of good fire safety, flood alarms can help avoid water damage. These wired or battery-operated devices sense pooling water at the earliest stages of flooding or leaks, sounding an alarm to inform you. For further protection, connect smart flood alarms into your home security system. This sends a notification on your phone once water is detected, helping to address leaks before it leads to significant damage.

7. Put in a Backflow Valve

Another helpful plumbing tip is to install a backflow valve in the basement floor drain to keep sewage from flowing back into their homes after heavy rainfall. Professionals can set up this strong layer of protection against sewage backflow.

Learn to Recognize and Stop Leaks

Now that we’ve covered best practices and useful plumbing accessories, let’s review some preventive steps you can take to avoid leaks, or worse, burst pipes.

Most of your home plumbing is hidden, so dripping pipes often go unnoticed until they create the potential for water damage. Regularly checking for leaks can help you catch issues early. Here’s how:

• Check under the sink for signs of pooling water, wood decay or mold growth.
• Be on the lookout for tiny leaks in your toilet by squeezing a few drops of dye to the tank. If the color shows up in the bowl after 30 minutes without flushing, there is a leak.
• Check around and behind your kitchen appliances, including the dishwasher or washing machine, for signs of water damage or leaks.
• Schedule a water meter test.
  • First, turn off all water in your home via the home’s water main.
  • Then, go outside to check the water meter. Check it again in two hours, being careful not to use any water in the meantime.
  • If the reading changes, you know there’s a leak somewhere.

Prevent Your Pipes from Freezing

In climates with cold winters, doing your part to protect vulnerable pipes is a good part of any plan to minimize the risk of freezing and bursting. Here are some professional recommendations:

• Wrap the pipes in insulation in purely functional/utility spaces like the basement, garage or attic using insulating foam or heating tape.
• Remove garden hoses from their spigots throughout the winter to stop ice from forming inside the pipes.
• Keep under-sink cabinet doors open during freezing temperatures to encourage airflow around the pipes.

Trust Dependable Local Plumbers for Support

While you can carry out many preventive steps yourself to minimize the risk of clogs, leaks and flooding, there are situations where you need a professional touch to keep things flowing smoothly. That’s where excels. We work with some of the best plumbers supporting U.S. homeowners from coast to coast with service backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not completely thrilled with our services after one year, we will do everything we can to make it right. This promise shows how we deliver total comfort and peace of mind in your life. For Expert plumbing service that exceeds expectations, please contact us today