1. Don't overload your garbage disposal. Proper drainage is important to prevent plumbing problems. A lot of people put too much garbage in their garbage disposal's and/or don't use enough water to grind up their garbage. Grind up small amounts and use plenty of water.
2. Don't dispose grease in your kitchen sink. Grease is heavy and can stick to your drainage line. After that, it starts collecting other waste products and will likely plug up your sink. Find other places to dispose your grease.
3. Occasionally, clear out all of your kitchen and bathroom drains. Pour boiling hot water down these drains or use a chemical-based drain cleaner. Cleaning them out will help prevent clogging.
4. Catch hair in the shower before it goes down the drain. Keep a drain catcher over the drain. Hair is the number one reason most shower drains plug up.
5. Check for cracked hoses on your washing machine. There is a lot of pressure in these hoses and they will occasionally crack. Replace any cracked hoses. Also, check the water connection and be sure that it is tight.
6. In cold climate regions, shut-off water to the outside spigots before winter arrives. This is usually done from the basement or crawl space. If you leave water in these pipes, the water might turn to ice which then expands and can burst the pipes. Also, make sure you disconnect all outside hoses from their spigots.
7. Leave heat on inside your house if your leaving for an extended period of time. You can turn the heat way down, but you want some heat to reach those pipes that are in your kitchen and bathrooms. Otherwise, you may come home to a flooded house.
8. Immediately repair all small leaks. Small leaks may be a small problem, but fix them before they become a big leak and a big problem.
Plumbing problems are a nuisance, but if you own a home, you're likely to have some of these problems. Use these tips to reduce those problems.
By Richard S. Cannon
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