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!
No comments:
Post a Comment