USE THIS HANDY GUIDE TO PREVENT LEAKS AND PROPERLY CARE FOR YOUR PLUMBING SYSTEM

If you have ever experienced a plumbing leak, you know how messy, expensive and inconvenient they can be. What if you could avoid this whole headache with minimal effort? It’s about being vigilant and adopting good practices to support your plumbing system for the long term.

Once you get started, you’ll see how easy it is to conduct these tasks that can protect your Pearland, TX home by preventing leaks. Here is how you should proceed.

Fix Leaks Fast

As a first step, you should get in the habit of proactively trying to fix leaks before they have a chance to evolve into a bigger problem. Some common signs of leaks are pooling water, peeling paint and wallpaper, moisture on pipes, sunken patches on your lawn, rising water bills and low water pressure. Every month inspect your plumbing fixtures and appliances for signs of leaks. Go over all of your exposed piping thoroughly. Also inspect walls, floors, and ceilings for evidence of water. Open up the cabinets under sinks and check the P-trap for moisture. Make sure that you don’t have too much stuff stored in those cabinets because it will be hard to know when you have a leak.

Check Your Water Pressure

While it may feel great to have the steady stream of a hot shower, the force of that water is doing very serious damage to your pipes. Think longer term and turn the water pressure down to avoid leaks. Ideally, you’d like it to be in the 40-45 psi range. As a rule, never go over 60 psi because that’s the danger zone. It can be helpful to install a water pressure regular to make sure that levels are appropriate.

Don’t Use Commercial Clog Removers

If you’ve got clogged drain or pipe, it may seem natural to reach for a commercial drain cleaner to remove it. However, the same chemicals that break up the clog also attack the pipes and eventually cause them to leak. Avoid clogs from forming by getting your drains professionally cleaned every year or two, which is a smart investment that will extend your plumbing system lifespan.

Keep Corrosion Away 

Hard water isn’t just bad news for your hair and your skin. Those same high concentrations of minerals are a major threat to your plumbing because of corrosion. Test your water’s PH levels and consider putting in a water softener to keep things balanced. When your PH isn’t the correct level, your pipes corrode more quickly and leaks form. The more you learn about home maintenance, the more realize the benefits. Taking on plumbing maintenance is a great way to start because the benefits are so significant.