4 Tips For Preventing Common Plumbing Emergencies

People that own homes have a lot of things to juggle. When life isn’t about worrying about the job or the family, the house itself still needs to be maintained from time to time.

One of the more intimidating things that can go wrong is the plumbing. Plumbing can sometimes be a very expensive venture because of so much of it is built within a house.

So if you need to get access to certain pipes or other parts of the infrastructure, it requires a lot of specialized equipment. If you want to avoid this kind of work, there are some common plumbing issues that you can actively prevent if you take the time.

Leaking Fixtures

When you have a faucet that drips or a showerhead that leaks water, it’s definitely not anything to panic over. But it’s also not something you should just neglect.

Depending on how close the drip is to you, it might just drive you crazy, but beyond that, it’s also adding up on your monthly water bill.

Water leak prevention is not something you need to worry about in this case, aside from making sure taps are firmly shut.

If that’s not doing it, the most likely culprit is either the O-ring or the washer inside the fixture itself. Fortunately, both of these parts are small, cheap and easy to replace, so you can often do this fix yourself.

Blocked Drains

Prevention is absolutely the name of the game when it comes to avoiding a blocked drain. This only happens when something gets caught in the drainage pipe, preventing any water in the sink from draining the way it’s supposed to.

The usual suspects are hair or food that’s built up in the pipes. Most homeowners will get plenty of warning about a blocked drain because even when it’s just partially blocked, it will manifest as a slow draining sink.

That’s your cue that something is wrong, and you should not ignore it. Just use mechanical solutions like a plumbing snake or a plunger. Drain cleaners from the store are also okay, but don’t overdo it! These are corrosive chemicals, so too much of these substances can break very old pipes, or even warp and/or melt modern plastic pipes.

Overflow from Toilets

This normally only happens when someone ignores the basic function of a toilet and tries to use it either for fun or as a garbage disposal.

Toilets should only be used for human waste, and toilet paper, which is designed to break up rapidly on contact with water.

Anything else, be it cigarettes, diapers, needles or a child’s toy, has every chance of getting caught in the pipe and causing a blockage. Respect the design intent of your toilet!

Burst Pipes

Pipes usually work reliably for decades, so when they do burst, it’s due to extraordinary circumstances.

Age can be one factor, depending on the materials involved. If you have older, cast iron drainage pipes, for example, fatigue can break any pipe that’s 100 years old or more!

And if the water pipes in a home get exposure to winter temperatures, the water inside may freeze, becoming ice that expands and ruptures a pipe. Insulation is the best way to protect against that kind of problem.

Most homes in Dallas, TX will enjoy years of trouble-free operation from the indoor plumbing. But you can extend this reliability by just exercising some care, and keeping an eye out for smaller issues.