It’s no fun to get a last-minute plumbing issue with your home, whether it’s a leaky faucet or a clogged toilet. Not only does it throw a wrench into your plans, but it can cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs.
If you’re like most homeowners, you’ve probably experienced at least one plumbing issue in your life. We tend to think of plumbing problems as being inconvenient and expensive, but there are many things that can be done to prevent these issues before they happen—and even more that can be done to fix them once they do.
Many homeowners try to fix these issues on their own, only to see things getting worse in the end. Iit’s always good to provide plumbing service providers like Beehive Plumbing, which not only have experienced plumbers but also offer cost-effective service.
The plumbing fixtures & fittings market size will reach 102.7 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 5.45%. The figure is huge, isn’t it? Moreover, the figures show the growing spending of homeowners on plumbing components to live comfortably.
Also read: 7 Winter Plumbing Issues to Prepare For.
Here are four tips to help you avoid last-minute costly plumbing issues:
Regularly Monitor All the Plumbing Components
According to Forbes, the average cost of plumbing repairs depends upon many factors. But, contacting a plumber for repairs would cost an average bill of around $400.
Regularly monitoring all the plumbing components can help you avoid last-minute, costly plumbing issues. If you’re not sure how to do this, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.
First things first: how often should you check in on your plumbing system?
Once a month is a good rule of thumb, but if your schedule allows for it, go ahead and check in every week. It’s important to keep an eye on your pipes and fixtures on a regular basis because they can give you signs that something is going wrong, even if it seems like everything is working fine at the moment.
What should you be looking for? Here are a few things that might indicate problems with your plumbing system:
- Slow running water: If any of your faucets or drains are taking longer than usual to fill up with water or drain after use, try turning off all other faucets and drains in the house to see if they run slower than usual as well. This could indicate a clog somewhere along the line.
- Strange noises coming from pipes: Pipes make noise—that’s just what they do! But strange noises can also be an indication that something is wrong with them.
Water Damage in the Basement
If you have water damage in your basement, it can be a costly problem. If you manage it early, you can avoid the last-minute costly plumbing issues that require emergency repair. Here are some tips to avoid last-minute costly plumbing issues:
- Check your sump pump regularly and make sure it is working properly. If the sump pump malfunctions or stops working, it will cause water to collect in your basement and cause damage to your home.
- Make sure there is proper ventilation in your basement. Without proper ventilation, moisture can build up in the air, which can lead to mold growth and dust mites, which can cause allergies and asthma symptoms.
- Fix any cracks or holes in the walls of your basement so that water does not seep through them into the house above ground level, where it may cause damage to furniture and other items inside the home’s living space.
Avoid Flushing These Things Down the Toilet
Flushing these things down the toilet can cost you a lot of money—and we don’t just mean the cost of your plumber’s bill. Here are five tips to avoid last-minute costly plumbing issues:
- Don’t flush paper towels, tissues, or cotton balls down the toilet. These items can clog up your pipes and cause serious damage to your plumbing system.
- Avoid flushing sanitary pads and tampons down the toilet as well. These items do not break down in the water and can cause clogs in your pipes, which may result in broken pipes or other expensive plumbing repairs.
- Do not flush anything else that isn’t supposed to go down the toilet—like wipes or paper towels—or anything that might cause a blockage or damage your pipes (like coins).
- If you have an older toilet that doesn’t have an internal trap, consider using a plunger when there’s something stuck in it instead of calling a plumber. This would save your money on service calls!
- Consider installing an overflow prevention device on any sinks that may overflow; this will stop water from flowing over the edge of the sink and onto your floor.
Do Regular Home Inspections for Leaks
You don’t want to be surprised by a last-minute plumbing issue and have to pay a hefty cost to fix it. You can avoid that by doing regular home inspections for leaks.
If you’re not sure how to do this, here are five tips:
- Inspect the entire home for signs of water damage, such as wet carpets, discolored walls or ceilings, and mildew.
- Look at your water meter after it has been running for several hours—if it doesn’t show the same amount of usage that you would normally see over that period of time, there may be a leak somewhere in your house.
- Check all faucets and toilets for drips or leaks every month or so (this is also an easy way to make sure they’re functioning properly).
- Check under sinks and behind toilets for any signs of water damage or mold growth (mold spores can spread throughout your home if left unchecked).
- Run a hose through all drains in your home once a month—this will help prevent clogs from forming inside pipes that aren’t visible from the outside of the house.
Summing Up
As per the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, job opportunities for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters will grow by 5% from 2020 to 2030. Moreover, there are approximately 51,000 employment opportunities for these workers every year in the country. The figures are promising and underscore the growing demand for these workers among homeowners.
The best way to avoid last-minute plumbing issues is to take care of your pipes regularly. You should have them checked and cleaned frequently by a professional plumber, and you can usually prevent bigger problems from happening by taking care of smaller issues as they arise.
