Plumbing Tips and Tricks You Should Know

My grandfather was a plumber for many years. As a child, I remember him helping my dad with things around our house. He took pride in his job and made sure it was done right. I like to think I inherited some of his strong work ethics. As a homeowner myself now I understand the importance of maintaining a home. I recently partnered with Mr. Rooter Plumbing who shared some valuable plumbing tips and tricks that I’m passing along to you. Check them out below!

Plumbing Tips and Tricks You Should Know

These plumbing hacks are especially important during the holiday season when homeowners welcome friends and family into their homes. The last thing you want to happen during this exciting, yet stressful time of year is to have a plumbing mishap.

So here are some important plumbing tips courtesy of Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighborly company to make note of:

Toilets

• Do: Keep the bathroom stocked with extra toilet paper, clean towels, soap, and other essentials. Using candles or air purifiers is a great way to limit unwanted smells in the bathroom.
• Don’t: Never flush items such as wet wipes (baby or adult wipes), cotton swabs, dental floss, and band-aids.

If you find yourself with a clogged toilet, here are some DIY tips:

• Be quick and repetitive with the plunger and keep your eye out for water movement in the toilet, which means the blockage is being pushed through.
• Make sure the water is draining before trying to flush again. Never pour a chemical drain cleaner down your toilet – it can cause damage to your pipes.
• Try this DIY toilet cleaner: mix 1 cup of baking soda with 15 drops of tea tree essential oil and 15 drops of lemon essential oil. Let the mixture sit in the bowl for 30 minutes, then scrub with a bowl brush before flushing. My personal favorite essential oil brand is Young Living.
• If you can’t repair a clogged toilet on your own, contact a professional plumber.

Drains

• Do: Use a sink strainer to effectively trap food and debris from the sink. Also, keep fats, oils, and grease from drains by allowing these to cool, then pouring in a grease holder.
• Don’t: Put starchy foods down the drain like pasta and potatoes. They eventually turn into a pasty substance capable of clogging the drain.

If you find yourself with a clogged drain, here are some DIY plumbing tips:

• Concoct a mixture of 1/3 of a cup of baking soda and 1/3 cup of vinegar. It will start to fizz.
• Pour it immediately down the drain and the fizzing action will help break down the gunk. Let sit for about an hour (or overnight) then run hot water to clear the drain.

Garbage Disposal

• Do: Keep the disposal clean during the busy holiday season by pouring half a cup of baking soda, followed by a cup of vinegar. Pour boiling water down the drain to rinse away debris the fizzy mixture has loosened. You can also treat common smells by deodorizing it with 10 drops of tea tree and lemon essential oils.
• Don’t: Avoid putting fibrous food down the garbage disposal as they tend to wrap around the blades, potentially damaging the motor.

Pipes

• Do: Insulate exposed stretches of pipe that come in contact with cold air in places like the basement, crawlspace and exterior walls. Slip on pre-split pipe foam to provide insulation your pipes need to prevent freezing.
• Don’t: If a frozen pipe bursts in your home, don’t wait to shut off the main water valve. The sooner you shut it off, the more likely you are to avoid thousands of dollars in damages.

By maintaining your home with these simple plumbing tips and tricks you are ensuring longevity on your home toilets, sinks, and other necessities while saving yourself money (and a headache)!

 

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