Home Plumbing: Six Practices Your Plumbing System Will Appreciate

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Proper maintenance and taking certain precautions seriously by homeowners; can prevent the confusion that is involved in home plumbing. You can avoid a visit of a costly repair service with proper maintenance. The following are the suggested practices that you can do.

  1. Check Out for leaks

The smallest leak from your pipes or faucet can lead to flooding if it is not taken care of at once. The resulting damage will require a considerable plumbing and home repair which is expensive. Hence, it is essential that you inspect the exterior walls, garage, crawl spaces and the unheated basement most especially in areas that do not have insulation. When you have little to no insulation, your pipes are more vulnerable to elements that results to them cracking and leaking.

  1. Weatherproofing trouble areas

Look for areas that have exposed plumbing system, for instance: the windows, vent fans and doorways. As a home owner ensure that all the seals in your house remain tight. In case you have a loose seal, you can fix it with caulking in order to prevent freezing of your pipes.

Repair any cracked windows which can lead to your plumbing system coming in contact with the freezing temperatures, which will result to expensive repairs.

  1. Keeping indoor pipes warm

During winter, a lot of home plumbing problems are as a result of outdoor pipes; still do not forget the indoor plumbing. This is because; your indoor pipes can still freeze during the cold weather; therefore, opening your cabinet door so that your pipes can be exposed to your home’s heat, can help you avoid internal plumbing issues. Set your interior thermostat to at least 550 Fahrenheit, when you are going to be away from home for some good time.

When the temperature outside drops lower than 300 Fahrenheit, let your indoor faucets drip. This will prevent your pipes from bursting which will lead to serious damage.

  1. Draining and insulating

It is very important for you to drain and insulate your outdoor pipes and faucets. This is because, as winter sets in, if you have any water trapped in the pipes it will freeze, expand then it will break, crack or burst your pipes; Therefore, the reason why you need to secure the exterior plumbing system. You can prepare your exterior plumbing system through the following:

  • Draining and disconnecting all the garden hoses, using a faucet cover or a hose bib for insulating the outdoor faucets from freezing.
  • Shut off any water flow into the irrigation system and drain water from pipes.

  1. Insulating exposed pipes

Insulating your pipes for them to be able to stand against the cold winter is important. In fact, insulating is preferred to sealing, as sealing off any airflow into the house will lead to mold growth eventually.  To insulate your piping system, install foam tubing or towels all-round the pipes, this will helps the water heater to retain its heat.

Electrical heating tapes are used for the vulnerable pipes that are near electrical sources. The heat tapes provide enough heat to prevent your pipes from freezing.

  1. Signing up for a home plumbing maintenance program

Home Plumbing

Plumbers recommend maintaining and keeping an eye on your plumbing system, can save you a lot of money and time that will be spent on repairs.  You can consider joining a plumbing and maintenance program; so that you will be aware of what to do in the event, that you have a plumbing problem. With the plumbing programs, you can be able to extend your appliances life and be able to ensure that your plumbing warranty is up-to-date.

It never hurts if you get in contact with a residential plumber for assistance. With the above practices, you will be able to maintain your pipes for a longer period of time.