Avoid These Common Plumbing Mistakes

Protecting your plumbing requires more than regular maintenance. Plumbers are often called to repair damage caused by innocent mistakes made by homeowners who didn’t realize such actions put their plumbing at risk. Knowing how to avoid some of these common mistakes can help you keep your plumbing in great repair throughout the years.

Misusing Your Disposal

Garbage disposals have revolutionized cleanup in the kitchen after meals. However, these appliances have limits that should be observed to prevent plumbing problems. Misusing the disposal as a trash can is one of the most common causes of clogs in kitchen sinks and drains. While your disposal can handle many types of food wastes, there are some foods that should never be put down the drain. Animal bones, fruit rinds, seeds, corncobs, rice and pasta, fat and grease, and coffee grounds should always be thrown away with your solid trash. When you do put foods down the disposal, make sure they are in small pieces and always run the cold water while your disposal is on. These practices can help to reduce the chances of a stubborn clog.

Too Much Weight on Fixtures

Showerhead- and faucet-mounted caddies might save you plenty of space, but they can also put your plumbing at risk. While placing a few lightweight items in caddies that hang from faucets and other fixtures is generally safe, too much weight will strain and damage the fixture. Your showerhead or tub faucet could break off at the threads, requiring a plumber to replace it before it can be used once more. Additionally, avoid placing weight on fixtures, such as using faucets for footrests or even for support when getting in and out of the tub. If you or a family member has trouble getting into the tub, mount handrails specifically meant to hold weight in your bathroom. Using a faucet to support body weight is not only bad for your plumbing, but it can cause serious injury as well.

Pouring Chemicals Down the Drain

Caustic drain cleaners aren’t the only chemicals you should avoid pouring down your drains. Many DIY-ers don’t think twice before pouring paint or construction debris, dirt, and grit down the drain. Unfortunately, such wastes aren’t meant to be disposed of via household plumbing and can instead create stubborn clogs that require a professional plumber to address. Some chemicals can even damage your pipes or connectors, requiring extensive replacement of your home’s plumbing.

Stripping Threads

Even if you are making a simple at-home repair or adjustment to your plumbing, it’s important to use the proper technique. Many homeowners mistakenly believe that plumbing nuts and fixtures must be extremely tight to keep them from leaking. However, this is not the case—plumbing fixtures and connections are designed with watertightness in mind, meaning that you don’t need to overtighten them for the results you want. Overtightening can result in stripped threads, regardless of whether you’re working with metal or plastic. Stripped threads make further adjustments or repairs to your plumbing extremely difficult and can even result in the leaks you were trying to prevent.

Your Mr. Rooter plumber can help you avoid these mistakes and more in Petaluma, Windsor, and Santa Rosa. Click through our website for more details about our comprehensive residential and commercial plumbing services in your area, or check out our blog for additional tips and information that will help you protect your plumbing!