Important Preventative Maintenance Tips to Protect Your Plumbing

One of the keys to keeping all your plumbing fixtures and appliances operating well year after year is to make sure you’re engaging in important preventative maintenance tasks. Everything that uses water in your home, including all of your sinks, showers, baths, garbage disposal, refrigerator, washing machine, toilets and water heater, can be maintained to prevent any significant plumbing problems from occurring. By staying on top of preventative maintenance, you’ll be able to avoid spending large amounts of money on repairs that would otherwise be unnecessary.

Here’s a quick overview of some preventative maintenance tips for you to employ on your home’s plumbing:

• Fix leaking faucets and showers: If you see drips coming out of faucets and showerheads even when they’re turned off, it’s important you make the fix quickly, as the dripping faucet can waste a lot of water and potentially cause water damage. In many cases, it might be something as simple as swapping out a washer, something that will cost mere cents.
• Fix toilet leaks: A faulty seal near the valve seat can result in a toilet constantly running even if not being flushed. What happens is that over time, debris will build up around the valve seat and flapper, preventing a proper seal and causing water to continuously run. Repairing the inner mechanisms of your toilet by replacing those parts is simple and inexpensive, and will save you a lot of money on your water bills.
• Practice good drain safety: You should always be careful about what you put down the drain. The best way to prevent blockages and pipes is to only flush or pour items down drains that belong there. In toilets, this means only human waste and toilet paper. In sinks, this means avoiding pouring down fats, oils, large chunks of food, coffee grounds and other garbage. Even if you have a garbage disposal, certain items simply shouldn’t go down the drain.
• Clean your showerhead: Every so often you should remove and clean your showerhead to get rid of accumulated sediment. This will help you maintain good water pressure in your shower.
• Inspect exposed pipes and appliances: Keep an eye out for leaks around the home. If you see any visible signs of a leak, you should take immediate action to find the source of the leak and make the proper repairs.
• Address slow drains: If you have any drains that are moving slow, they may be clogged. If using a plunger doesn’t do the trick, try making a homemade vinegar/hot water mixture to run down the drain and remove debris. The acidity of the vinegar can help clear blockages. Doing this every few months can be helpful to your drainage.
• Check hoses: Check all hoses for signs of aging, such as cracks, brittleness or other damage which could result in leaks. Replace the hoses when they become brittle or cracked.

For more preventative maintenance tips for your home plumbing or to arrange for an inspection, contact one of our experienced plumbers from PipeMasters today: info@pipemasters.ca or (289) 404-9063.

PipeMasters is part of Oakridge Plumbing Ontario Ltd. and serves the East GTA, Durham Region, North to Lindsay & Peterborough, out to Cobourg and all points in between. All Rights Reserved.