Common Plumbing Problems and How to Avoid Them

When you think of the number of feet of pipe in your home, it’s a wonder that there aren’t more issues that pop up from time to time. Every toilet, faucet, bathtub, shower, washer, and refrigerator is connected to your plumbing system and run to the water main outside of your home. Even a hairline fracture or a small clog can cause issues anywhere along the way and short of developing x-ray vision, it can be difficult to know where the problem is. Our Pickett Plumbing team is ready to help you with any plumbing issue you may have, but the best way to solve a problem is to try and avoid them in the first place.

Keep Kids Out

Most kids are fascinated by water and love to splash and play. This becomes a problem when you have a bowl full of standing water at all times in the bathrooms of your home. While we know families work hard to supervise their kids and monitor their behavior, they can be sneaky and will often escape into the bathroom for their play. Toys, glasses, and paper products are some of the most common items that kids love to flush down the toilet, but there are stories of all sorts of things being discarded down the drain. Locking bathroom doors or putting a child-proof seat over the toilet can help reduce the likelihood of these types of issues.

Toilet Paper Usage

Not all toilet paper is created equal, especially in regards to your plumbing system. While extra cushions and layers are added benefits, too many of these extras can cause clogs in the plumbing system every time you flush. Additionally, grabbing too much, as many kids do, can block your system further. The same is true for items not rated for the toilet, like paper towels and sanitary products, which need to be discarded in the trash.

Toss Your Trash

Speaking of tossing things in the trash, it is tempting to put a lot down your garbage disposal or drain that should be put in the garbage can instead. The most common culprit is grease, leftover from cooking meat, and coffee grounds. Coffee grounds should be immediately tossed or added to your compost pile. Grease can be left to cool then put into the trash or into a jar for disposal later. When you use your garbage disposal for regular food items, be sure to run plenty of water before, during, and after to help with the process. In fact, it is a great idea to regularly pour warm (almost boiling) water down each of your drains from time to time to clear out some of the build-ups that form in your pipes.

Cover Your Pipes

During the winter months and hard freezes, your pipes run the risk of bursting or getting fractures from the pressure of the cold. Covering outside pipes with insulation and letting warm air circulate regularly over interior pipes can help reduce the chances of this happening. If you notice that your pipe has burst or suspect a problem, turn off your main water line and call our Pickett Plumbing team for us to assess the issue.

Pickett Plumbing has the expertise to help you with preventative measures for your home. If a bigger issue does rise up, our Pickett Plumbing team can come out to help you get the water back to where your home needs it. With our VIP Club membership, you can call at any time, weekend or holiday, for added peace of mind.