Top Tips From Your Local Plumber | Atlanta, GA

Top Tips From Your Local Plumber | Atlanta, GA

Unless you’re plagued by the sound of leaking faucets, have drains regularly clogging up, or other niggling plumbing issues facing you in your Atlanta, GA home then housekeeping your plumbing is likely not on the priority list. However, keeping a regular maintenance schedule and taking into account the following tips from your local plumber can do wonders for extending the overall lifespan of your home’s plumbing. Without regular maintenance, seemingly inconsequential issues can become mammoth headaches and incur costly expenses.

Tip #1: Try to Avoid Harsh Chemical Cleaners

Avoid harsh cleaners where possible, especially inside toilet bowls. Drop-in toilet tablets widely available from most stores in the U.S. might seem like a fuss-free cleaning solution, but they often don’t dissolve completely, or take several months to do so. In the meantime, undissolved tabs can end up clogging your toilet’s porthole, which will prevent your toilet from flushing correctly. Using ill-advised cleaning solutions can result in you needing to call a plumber sooner than expected!

Tip #2: Steer Clear of These ‘Flushable’ Items

Avoid flushing cotton pads, cotton swabs and sanitary products when possible. Even the thinnest panty liners can cause clogs, because of their adhesive backing. Additionally, while some wet wipes may be marketed as ‘flushable’, they take a long time to degrade and can cause issues both in your home’s plumbing and further down the line at local sewage plants.

Instead, keep a small wastebasket handy in the bathroom, to encourage the proper disposal of undesirable items.

Tip #3: Keep Your Garbage Disposal Free of These Items

To keep the plumber away, take oil, fat, and grease out of your kitchen sink drain. Oils will harden as they cool and clog up the drain. Cooking oils and greasy meat fats, especially, can make garbage disposal blades run less efficiently. Instead, place used cooking oil into a sealable container, label to prevent it from being reused or recycled and dispose of alongside regular garbage.

To avoid kitchen drain blockages, never place any stringy, fibrous waste, such as banana peels, chicken skins, celery, or melon pulp, into the garbage disposal. A garbage disposal cannot grind these products sufficiently, and they will eventually clog your sink drain.

One tip that will help you to maintain your garbage disposal is to run cold water through the disposal unit before and after use. If you’re having issues with your garbage disposal, don’t forget you can always tag in your local plumber.

Tip #4: Consider Brass Fittings

Ask your local plumbing company in Atlanta, GA about the benefits of brass fittings, if you’re considering a bathroom upgrade. When it comes to plumbing, brass fittings are a popular investment. While they may have a higher upfront cost, their longevity is impressive compared to the alternatives. With brass fittings, you end up saving money long-term. As a bonus, brass fittings are considered far more attractive than stainless steel counterparts. They are also corrosion-resistant and you can keep the fittings looking brand-new by maintaining them with a widely available, mild brass polish.

Tip #5: Adhere to a Regular Maintenance Schedule

Get a plumber to inspect your home’s plumbing on a regular basis. Don’t forget to get your water heater inspected, drains looked at, and any items repaired as soon as there’s an issue. Good preventative maintenance can help you save money on plumbing repairs. Spending little and often on your home’s plumbing often vastly outweighs the costs, stress, and damages associated with a large-scale plumbing disaster, such as a burst pipe, flooding, or broken water heater.

For example, drain clogging is a pretty common plumbing problem. In the bathroom, sink, bathtub, and shower drain clogs can be caused by a buildup of hair. You can prevent hair from causing these clogs by installing a drain cover fitted with a screen. Simply clean hair off the screen at regular intervals. You’ll be less likely to need a plumber to fix clogged pipes if you take simple preventative measures like this.

Things You Need to Know About Your Water Supply

It is essential as a homeowner that you know exactly where your main water shutoff valve is located and can operate the valve in case of an emergency.

In many plumbing emergencies, you need to shut off water in your first step. Many homeowners end up calling professional plumbers about flooding or burst pipes. Knowing how to find your main water shut-off valve is essential to saving you time and money. The quicker you can turn off the incoming supply, the lower your reparation costs are likely to be.

Make sure you know the main water shut-off valve’s location before a disaster strikes and you need an emergency plumber. That way, you know exactly where to go when the worst case happens. Otherwise, you could lose valuable time searching for it.

Next, learn how to operate the valve properly. If you need a trick to remember which way the valve needs to turn, remember it’s righty-tighty, lefty-loosey! In emergency cases, it can also be beneficial to locate and turn off the electrical supply at the breaker panel.

Don’t Forget! Turn the Water Off Before Starting Any Plumbing Projects!

Regardless of whether you’re trying to fix an issue or add an upgrade, this is so important that it bears repeating! Make sure that you are aware of where the main shutoff valve is, as well as the valves for shutting off individual plumbing fixtures like sinks, toilets, and kitchen appliances.

If you’re working on the shower in the bathroom, for example, you can use the local shutoff valve to prevent needing to turn off the whole home’s supply. Also, if something goes wrong, you can restrict the water flow to the problematic areas without compromising every aspect of your home’s plumbing.

If you need a plumber to assist you, call Peach Plumbing & Drain in Atlanta, GA. We can help you with emergency repairs, plumbing maintenance, remodels, and so much more!

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