What Your San Antonio, TX Plumber Wishes You Knew
Photo By Gena Melendrez at Shutterstock
Have you ever thought about the many things that you are doing or possibly not doing with your plumbing every single day? Have you thought about the ways that you could actually be hurting the drains and pipes running throughout your house? There are actually a number of different things that, if you could talk to a plumber, they would definitely tell you. So, let’s take a little closer look at some of the things that they definitely wish you knew and that you should be keeping an eye on at all times. After all, you don’t want to end up with an even more serious problem.
Don’t use drain cleaners. Chemical drain cleaners are actually dangerous for your pipes. They seem like a great idea because when your drain is clogged they make it work again. The problem is that they only take care of the problem temporarily. And sometimes they don’t even do that. On top of that, the chemicals are actually causing even more damage on the inside of your drains. So you may think that you’re getting a quick and inexpensive fix to the problem but what you’re really getting is the start of a whole lot of new problems instead.
Don’t put food down the garbage disposal. Yes, it’s advertised that you can put food down your garbage disposal but it’s really not a good idea. Foods, and especially hard or stringy foods, can cause damage to the drains, they can get stuck in the pipes and they can cause clogs. They also cause your drain to start to smell (partially because of those clogs). In the end, you wind up with even more serious problems by putting those foods down the drain. If you absolutely must make sure you only put soft foods down and that you run water down the drain to clear it out.
Don’t put grease down the garbage disposal. Grease, even just small amounts, can very quickly and easily start to build up inside your drains. You may not even realize it because the drain continues to work just fine for a while. But as you continue putting a little more and a little more in there you end up with serious problems. That’s because the grease is liquid when you pour it, but very quickly solidifies and sticks to the sides of the drain. Then you end up with clogs that you can’t get out without a plumber to help.
Get regular drain cleaning. Regular drain cleaning keeps you from having those plumbing emergencies that you may have experienced already. When you wait until there’s a serious problem before calling for drain cleaning you’re going to end up spending a lot more money. When you get it done regularly you’ll keep the pipes and drains running the way they’re supposed to and you’re going to save yourself a whole lot of money while you’re at it. That’s definitely going to be a benefit for you, right? No one wants to call a plumber in the middle of the night.
Don’t flush ‘flushable’ wipes. There are all kinds of ‘flushable’ products out there that are advertised to be just fine for your septic tank and the water system. The truth is, they’re definitely not good for your drain or your pipes. They can get clogged, they don’t break down and they just all-around result in problems and damage. The only things that you should be flushing are human waste (not pet waste either) and toilet paper. Anything else could cause problems.
Don’t tighten fittings with a power tool. If you tighten down fittings of any type on your plumbing you should only use a wrench and your own strength. Never use a power tool to tighten fittings even more. It may seem like it’s going to secure things better, but the problem is that you run the risk of over-tightening and that could result in cracks and leaks. Just use your own strength or get a little bit stronger individual to tighten things down if you don’t think you have it tight enough. Don’t resort to power tools, even if you keep them at a low setting.
Don’t let your pipes freeze. If you live in an old house you might have plumbing that runs along an outside wall, without a lot of insulation. If that’s the case you could end up with frozen pipes during the winter or colder months if you’re not careful. Instead, leave your water running at just a trickle during the cold months or any time there’s the possibility of a freeze. Your plumber can help you determine when to leave the water running (at a very low volume) until you have the ability to get more insulation put into your San Antonio, TX home so they don’t have a freeze danger.
Don’t do it yourself. When it comes to DIY you should leave it to craft projects. Don’t try to DIY your own plumbing fixes. What you’ll find is a bigger mess and a whole lot of big problems that you still end up paying a plumber to fix. Calling someone right off the bat is going to save you a whole lot more money and you’ll be able to just get the problem taken care of and get on with your life. The last thing you want is your home damaged because you thought you could take care of it yourself and now you’ve got a big leak or a broken pipe or some other serious problem.
No matter what’s happening around your San Antonio, TX home, a plumber is ready to jump in and help you. You just need to know when to call them and how they can help. By knowing each of these tips you may be able to reduce the number of times you need to call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, but you’re also going to increase the usability and safety of your home and there’s nothing better than that.
Priority Service