Keeping these helpful tips in mind will help the plumbing in your home maintain functionality and save yourself some major headaches down the road. Putting these useful hints into daily practice should help reduce some plumbing down time.
Caring For Your Septic Tank
Septic tanks are usually not an everyday talked about concern considering they are underground and most of the time doing their job correctly. However, ensuring that your daily practices will not pose a threat to your septic tank’s ability to function is a very important issue. An overflowed septic tank is a very costly, unwanted, and unsanitary outcome for you and your family. Many times the problem could have been avoided with different day to day practices or caught early enough to stop the problem from further progression. A useful tip to remember is to get your septic tank checked twice a year by a professional to ensure everything is okay. Another aspect to always be aware of is what you are allowing to go down the toilets and into the septic tank or your sewer system. Certain materials and substances such as coffee grounds, cigarette butts, diapers, dental floss, and other powerful chemicals should never enter the septic tank since they can interrupt the breakdown process. When these materials enter your sewer lines, they can cause clogs and backups, requiring sewer inspections and possible repair & replacement.
Sinks And Garbage Disposals
Many simple mistakes can be made in the kitchen sink unknowingly or accidentally that can cause you a major headache. First off, always be aware of what liquids are hitting and sitting on the surface of your kitchen sink. Certain types of bleach and cleaners can sometimes do more than you want them to like leaving you with the erosion of the sink bowl’s surface. Lemon juice is a good remedy for scrubbing stains while WD-40 can help rid of rust. Another extremely important everyday factor to remember is what your garbage disposal can and can’t handle. Avoid using the garbage disposal for things like bones, grease, pasta, coffee grounds, egg shells, fruit pits, potato peels, and celery. Also, whenever you do run the garbage disposal be sure to run plenty of water to prevent a clog from happening.
Alternate Choices In Piping
The material of the pipes in your home can have a major impact on efficiency, quality, and durability in the long run. Many people are not aware that plastic piping is superior to metal in just about every way possible. Using plastic pipes for replacement or first-time installation can save you from well known unwanted problems in the near and far future. Plastic pipes are easier to install while also being corrosion free, unlike metal. Plastic is also easier to fix, adjust, and tighten if a problem arises. Lastly, plastic is much more inexpensive than metal so you also save money from the start. In the case of locating a leaking metal drain, it is a great idea to replace it with a new plastic one to prevent a future leak from happening. The benefits of using more modern and up to date pipes and methods are huge and can save you tons of money and hassle year after year. If you stumble across a problem or have a question don’t hesitate to call a DC licensed master plumber to get you all squared away and back on track.