Care for your pipelines so they’ll last longer– and prevent a pricey plumbing catastrophe later.
You probably do not believe much about the network of water and sewage system pipes inside your walls that deliver your cold and hot water– and eliminate your waste– as needed.
But offering your pipes a little regular attention can lengthen its life, prevent leaks, and avoid costly repair work. Here’s how to care for the pipes in your house.
Prevent Chemical Drain-Clearing Products
Clogged drains pipes are the most common house plumbing problem, and you can buy chemicals to clear them. However these products in some cases do more harm than excellent. They can in fact deteriorate cast-iron drains.
And since they generally do not get rid of the whole obstruction, the problem is most likely to repeat, causing you use the chemicals consistently. “Each time, they’ll gnaw at the sidelines a little bit more,” states Passaic, N.J. plumbing Joseph Gove. “Soon, you’re going to get leaks.”
Much better to employ a plumbing to snake the drain (generally $75 to $150) and entirely remove the chunk of hair or grease that’s plugging the line. Or you can get a snake of your own, for around $20 at the hardware shop, and attempt clearing the drain yourself.
Prevent Future Clogging
Clogs aren’t simply annoyances. Backed-up water puts added pressure on your wastepaper, worrying them and reducing their life expectancy. So avoid plug-ups by watching what goes down your drains pipes. That means keeping food scraps out of kitchen area drains, hair out of the restroom drains, and anything but sewage and toilet paper out of toilets.
Set up screens over drains pipes in showers and tubs, and take out what hair you can every few weeks to avoid buildups. Scrape food into the trash before doing dishes– even if you have a disposal– and never ever put liquid grease down the drain; put it into a sealable container to put in the trash after it cools.
“Grease is just liquid when it’s hot,” Gove states. “When you put it down the drain, it cools and becomes solid. Do that enough, and much like a blocked artery, your brain will not work any longer.”
Lower the Pressure
As nice as high water pressure can be when you’re showering or filling a stockpot, it worries your pipes, increasing the likelihood of a leak. “That drastically lowers the life of your pipes,” states Phoenix, Ariz., plumbing technician Alex Sarandos. “It makes your pipeline joints, faucets, and appliance valves work harder.”
You can determine your water pressure with a tube bib gauge, readily available at the hardware store for under $10. Connect it to an outside spigot and open the line. Typical pressure will sign up in between 40 and 85 psi. If it’s above that range, consider employing a plumber to install a pressure reducer (around $400).
By the way, adding a low-flow showerhead won’t affect the pressure in the pipelines. It just affects the amount of water coming out of the showerhead itself.
Soften the Water
If your water has a high mineral material– referred to as hard water– it can shorten your pipes’s life expectancy. Those naturally occurring minerals, normally magnesium or calcium, develop inside your pipes and restrict flow, increasing the pressure. Plus, they can wear away joints and fittings. Although tough water can take place anywhere, it’s most typical in the Southwest and parts of the Northeast.
A white accumulation on showerheads and faucets is an obvious sign of tough water. Or, if your home receives community water service, you can easily learn how tough it is. By law, every town needs to file an annual water quality report with the Environmental Protection Agency. If you have a well, examine your most recent water test report for hardness details. Anything over 140 parts per million is thought about hard water.
The only way to efficiently deal with hard water is by installing a water conditioner. A lot of use sodium to combat the minerals in your water, but new electronic conditioners use electro-magnetic pulses to liquid minerals, and have the advantage of not adding sodium to your water.
You’ll require a plumber to set up a standard, sodium-based softener, for $500 to $1,000. Electronic units start below $200, and since the pipes don’t need to be opened up, you can install one yourself. Bear in mind, though, that you’ll require an outlet nearby to power the unit.
If you choose a sodium-based softener, think about installing a whole-house pre-filter at the same time. Because the plumbing will currently be cutting into your pipes to set up the conditioner, the pre-filter may add only $100 to the task. And not only will it provide you cleaner drinking water by eliminating particulates and chlorine, you’ll decrease tension on your pipes that can occur when those particles block faucet filters.
Keep Your Sewer Lines or Septic Tank Clear
If you have local drains, employ a plumbing to snake your primary sewage cleanout every few years. This will cost $75 to $150 and will eliminate tree roots that inevitably work their method into these pipes– leading to untidy sewage backups. If you have a septic tank, get the tank pumped out every 3 to 5 years, for $200 to $500.
Other Ways to Avoid Trouble
- Discover where your house’s primary water shut-off valve is– so if there’s ever a leak, you can go directly there and rapidly switch off the water to the whole house.
- Get rid of hose pipes from outside spigots in winter season to prevent frozen water from splitting the pipelines and causing a flood.
- Include pipeline insulation to the pipes in cold parts of your home– such as garages, basements, and crawl spaces– to avoid frozen pipes (and to reduce the wait for hot water).
- Never utilize an exposed pipeline as a hanger rod for laundry. Doing so can loosen up joints and fasteners.
- Repair problems rapidly. Even little leakages can make pipes rust faster and cause considerable water damage or mold.