3 Plumbing Tips for Homeowners

Nobody tells you the headache that home maintenance can be when you’re signing the mortgage papers. Plumbing, in particular, scares many homeowners. It’s a complex system and one plumbing mistake can cost thousands. Batavia plumbing professionals say that there are a few proactive things that you can do to avoid having to break into a wall, open a pipe, or even call your local plumber.

1. Treat Your Disposal Like a Sink

A garbage disposal can seem like an open invitation to dump platefuls of waste straight into your kitchen sink. While it can be satisfying to watch it all grind into oblivion, much of what you send down the disposal can get stuck in the pipes. Over time that waste can build up and slow, or even stop, the flow of water.

Keep your food, coffee grinds, and onion peels out of the disposal to keep your kitchen plumbing working.

2. Avoid the Freeze

When fall turns chilly and you see the morning frost on your lawn, it’s time to disconnect your outdoor hoses.

When the water in your hose freezes, it expands. If the hose is still connected to your home, ice can back up into the spigot and could burst the pipe in your wall. You may not notice until you turn that hose on again in the spring and water starts to pour into your walls, under your home, or into your basement.

3. Find the Shut-Off Valve

The pipe that brings water into your home has a main shut-off valve. This switch can turn off all of the water in your house at once. You should know where this is and how to operate it.

Knowing how to turn off the water supply to your house can save you time and money. Whether your toilet won’t stop running or you have a hidden leak in your walls, this switch should be your first stop.

Plumbing can be intimidating, but remembering a few simple things can make it a lot easier for any homeowner.