The plumbing system in your home is extremely important in your daily life as you drink water, shower, cook, wash laundry, clean dishes, and take care of other needs. Keeping your plumbing system in tip-top shape is incredibly important, as is upgrading it when needed or when you have the ability to do so. You can do what’s best for your residential plumbing by following these dos and don’ts.
Do:
- Install a Tankless Water Heater – It may not be a need, but a tankless water heater is far superior in performance and energy efficiency compared to a traditional water heater. A tankless model offers hot water on demand, and you never have to worry about running out of hot water as you would with a traditional water heater.
- Use a Hair Catcher – If you or members of your household have long hair, your plumbing system might be suffering from it. Using hair catchers in all your showers can help to keep your drains free of clogs and extend the life of your plumbing components.
- Check for Leaks – Every once in a while, you should check your water heater, shutoff valves, exposed pipes, faucets, and other plumbing components for leaks to ensure there is no water damage to contend with and that you aren’t wasting water.
Don’t:
- Flush Anything Besides Toilet Paper – Dental floss, diapers, menstrual products, wipes, and other foreign objects do not belong in the toilet. Throw these away and only flush toilet paper and waste.
- Pour Oil Down the Drain – FOG (fats, oils, and grease) should not be poured down the drain, as they can damage your plumbing system and create clogs.
- Abuse Your Garbage Disposal – Garbage disposals can be useful, but they can also be a bit of a pain. Make sure you know what can and can’t go in your garbage disposal. For instance, coffee grounds, potato peels, eggshells, fruit pits, pasta, and rice should not go in the garbage disposal.
By following these tips, you can keep your residential plumbing system in good shape.
