The plumbing system in your home requires regular maintenance and while it’s a lot easier to call a contractor when an emergency occurs, there are certain things you can do on your own and include in your daily routine. Here are simple tips how to handle home’s plumbing issues on your own:

Bathroom

The bathroom is the place where plumbing issues most likely occur and requires regular maintenance in order to avoid it. Start with the drain – to prevent it from overflowing, you should pour hot water at least once a week. In addition to that apply drain solvent to remove clogs and prevent plumbing damage.

Examine faucets on regular basis, as damage to them is very likely to cause a lot of trouble to the fixtures. If you are unable to repair these yourself, schedule a professional visit.

Kitchen

The garbage disposer and the aerator are the most common reason for plumbing emergencies in the kitchen. First, let’s start with the disposer – before using it, leave cold water to flow through it for at least 30 seconds and also it’s a good idea to use dish detergent to easily remove foul odors. Second the aerator – often low water pressure causes lime buildups and these result in leaks or even additional damage to the home’s plumbing system. It’s also recommended to unscrew it from the faucet and then use a small brush to remove the sediments.

Basement

The basement is the place where water heaters are located and also the main valves of the plumbing system can be found. No matter whether you do plumbing work in the basement, kitchen or anywhere else in your home, knowing where the main shutoff valve is pretty much essential. However sometimes, it’s located outside the house, near the street.

Water heaters require annual maintenance and need to be drained, then flushed in order for the sediment buildups to be removed. Sometimes, depending on the model and type of the heater is much easier to call professionals help with that task.

Laundry Room

All hoses, pipes and the entire plumbing system located in the laundry room needs to be inspected on regular basis for signs of wear or leakage. In case any repairs are needed, carefully asses the task, as sometimes washing machine repairs are not that easy to perform by DIY enthusiasts.

In some cases, you may have to even consider replacing the washing machine with a newer model, as often many of the issues are simply caused by the appliance’s age.

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains can cause serious damage to the plumbing system and fixing these must be your top priority. Depending on the severity of the clog, a simple drain solvent may do the job. However, if the clog is located near the main sewer line, it may not be that easy to reach out to it. In those cases, professional help is pretty much mandatory. Companies like CW Plumbing Services will save you both time and money with any kind of plumbing emergency you face!