8 Things Your Plumber Wants You to Know
There are plumbing problems in your house that can be easy fixes, and sometimes problems that call for a plumber! Our team at Platinum Plumbing is always available to help with whatever you need, but when it comes to the little fixes, we have some advice to keep your home and your plumbing running smoothly!
1. Don’t Be So Quick with the Chemicals
Pouring chemicals down your drain to remove clogs, can actually be incredibly damaging to the pipes and will corrode them. Be sure to read the labels of the chemicals before pouring them.
2. Formula to Remove Grease from a Kitchen Sink
If the sink in your kitchen is getting backed up because of grease, use this simple solution to remove the majority of the clot. Pour around a quarter cup of dish soap down your drain. Let the soap sit for around 15 minutes, then pour about 3 cups of boiling water after.
3. Turn to Vinegar to Help Clean
Although it may smell atrocious, vinegar can actually help with tough stains, especially on your shower head. To clean your shower head simply fill a bag with vinegar, dip your shower head in it, then use a rubber band or hair tie to tie the bag tight to the shower head. Let the vinegar soak for at least an hour. Vinegar can also be used to help clean out a run-down dishwasher. Put half a cup of white vinegar in the detergent cup and let the dishwasher run.
4. When Choosing Piping, Pick Plastic
Even though, for some reason, people flock to metal piping, installing plastic piping is actually so much more beneficial. Plastic piping is not only cheaper, but it’s also easy to tighten or fix and plastic piping will not corrode.
5. Maintain Your Water Heater
It’s best to drain a few cups of water from your water heater every 4-5 months so that sediment does not build up.
6. Your Garbage Disposal Cannot Take Everything
Although things like pasta, beans and rice seem soft enough to go down the garbage disposal- they’re not! These items should always be thrown in the trash.
7. Sump Pump Rules
Sump pumps are incredibly useful but also come with a lot of rules about how to properly use them. Never use an extension cord, dedicate a specific electrical circuit for the sump pump because of all the power it will use, check all the valves for the sump pump, research which kind of sump pump is best or your situation (not always the strongest one), ect.
8. Call Your Plumber
Sometimes people ignore a funny sound or a clogged drain because they don’t think it’s important. However, it’s best to call your plumber at the start of an issue, even if it’s minor, so it doesn’t develop into something bigger. Odds are it’s going to end up costing you more!
For more tips and tricks on how to maintain your plumbing at home, give one of our team members a call today! We can walk you through any issues you may have, or schedule an appointment to do a home visit!
