The plumbing system in your home is an essential feature. It is also one that can develop problems if not properly maintained. Some common problems faced by homeowners include clogged pipes, leaks and burst valves. When things like this happen then it is likely that you will need to call out an emergency plumber to fix the problem. This can be a very expensive exercise but there are things you can do to try and minimise the risks of these emergencies occurring in the first place.
Be Careful About What You Put Down The Pipes
In a household it is often very easy to simply dispose of items down the sink or in the toilet. Out of site and then out of mind is common practice until signs of problems start to show. Extra care should be taken to monitor what types of materials are disposed of into the drainage system. Non-decomposing items can cause the most problems even if they are small in nature. These items will sit in the pipes and over time as more materials are added a blockage will occur. A blockage in the plumbing system can potentially mean costly and disruptive repair work.
Inspect and Clean Regularly
It is recommended that you clean out your gutters and downpipes at least twice a year to prevent any serious clogging here. You can clean this yourself if you feel capable or call a company such as JEDI Plumbing to do this for you. While you clean out any debris from the guttering you can also do a visual inspection to make sure that there is no corrosion occurring. It is simple to take steps to stop corrosion in the early stages but costly to replace the guttering if it becomes fully corroded. In addition to that you should have your septic systems and drains inspected by a professional once a year or at a very minimum every three years.
Know Where Your Shutoff Valves Are
One of the most important things to learn about your plumbing system is where the shutoff valve is. If any of the pipes in the system should burst then knowing where this valve is could help to save your home from extensive and costly water damage. It is also useful because you could potentially turn this valve off and wait until such a time when you can call your local plumber instead of the emergency plumber.
Use a Plumbing Maintenance Service
Many reputable plumbing companies offer a plumbing maintenance service and it is a good idea to take advantage of this. This comes with a host of benefits including regular inspection of your plumbing system, weather proofing of the exposed pipes and emergency repair work if required.