Common Plumbing Problems
When you live in a home, you only see visible things and never go into the detail of its construction, and plumbing is one of them. Plumbing problems always come as a surprise and are extremely annoying, especially when you are not a professional. The plumbing systems are behind the walls or underground; that is why they are hard to predict. You never know what plumbing mistakes have been made and what the consequences can be.
Many plumbing problems can be avoided with expert help, the right tips, techniques, and tools. Let's look at 5 plumbing mistakes that could lead to bigger problems and how one can avoid them.
Toilet Leakage
Toilet leakage can be due to many reasons. The main reason could be that the flapper of the toilet tank or the flush valve wears out over time. The flush valve moves water in the tank into the toilet bowl when you push the toilet handle. Usually, the lever that connects the flush valve with the toilet handle can keep the flapper open, leading to the toilet having a constant state of flushing and filling. If it is not checked or taken care of properly, these minor plumbing mistakes can lead to wasting gallons of water and increase your water bill.
Make sure that if your bathroom has an older toilet, check the flush valve and flapper. This will help you recognize problems beforehand and avoid the biggest plumbing problem, using low-quality materials. A new flush valve is not a very expensive piece of equipment, and if you properly follow the instructions about plumbing mistakes, the installation process becomes very easy.
Clogged Drains
Sinks, tubs, and showers all have drains; if they are clogged, they can lead to big problems. Blogged bathroom drains are caused due to different reasons such as hair, makeup, dirt, fingernail clippings, beard shaving, etc. The easiest way to avoid bathroom clogged drains is by keeping an eye on what you are allowing to put down the drain. You can clean your bathroom's clogged drains by removing the stopper and using a plastic snake, and pull out everything that has been clogging the drains. We are extremely against the idea of using chemical drain cleaners because they cause chemical burns and corrode the pipes, causing damage in the long run.
If you still face a clogged bathroom drain after using all the techniques mentioned above, call any local plumber who can help you avoid plumbing mistakes and solve your clogged drain problems.
Backed Up Kitchen Sinks
Kitchen sinks are similar to bathroom sinks, not designed in a way to accept more than water, soap, and smaller food residues to go down the drains. However, people think they are like secondary trash cans, which cause plumbing problems because fats, oil, cheese, stringy foods, coffee grounds, and many other things clog the kitchen drains.
Make sure to throw them away in the trash than in the sink whenever you are cleaning or cooking to avoid backed-up kitchen sinks. If you keep throwing these in the sink, your kitchen will suffer. Try to avoid it so you do not have to deal with bigger problems caused by minor plumbing mistakes in the future.
Water Heaters
Water heater problems are not very common plumbing issues, but if they happen, they cause you huge financial damage. Water heaters are designed to last 15-20 years but break down over time. Leaks and ruptures cause damage to your home and the plumbing system and make you replace the water heater completely.
Always check and balance your water heaters and look out for rust and leaks. If you avoid keeping an eye on them, this can be among the worst plumbing mistakes you could make. If you notice any issue, immediately call any of your local plumbers and avoid the plumbing mistakes like delaying and fixing by yourself because professional water heater installation is required to deal with those issues. Paying for a single repair at the right time can save you from the huge cost of replacing the water heater.
Garbage Disposals
Finally, let's talk about broken garbage disposals. By this time, you must have read various articles discussing plumbing mistakes and their dos and don'ts. It is highly discussed because this problem is the most common among all the other issues related to plumbing. And if you are making plumbing mistakes by not noticing and taking care of this properly, you might have to struggle in the future.
First, you can avoid plumbing mistakes by paying attention to what you are putting in the garbage disposal. Putting lemon rinds, animal bones, ice, and other similar hard objects in a garbage disposal are examples of people's plumbing mistakes.
Soft foods like bread and cheese are not things to be put in because they gum up the motor and cause it to burn out. Avoid making common plumbing mistakes and take good care so you do not have to pay higher amounts for replacement garbage disposal.
Of course, one cannot avoid all the plumbing mistakes out there, but we hope this whole piece of information can help you deal with plumbing mistakes and problems caused by them. If you take care of at least these 5 things mentioned in this article, we can assure you that your home will have the least plumbing problems because we have covered the main ones.
It is extremely easy and common to take problems and mistakes related to plumbing for granted until they become bigger. Avoid bigger financial damage to your pocket by taking care and immediately getting the problems sorted.
We Are Here to Help!
If you think you have made any plumbing mistakes and they are now causing huge problems that need a lot other than just maintenance, contact West Coast Hydronics & Plumbing. Our employees are licensed and professional plumbers, and we would be more than happy to give you our services. Schedule your plumbing appointment with us by giving us a call!
