Older homes are uniquely susceptible to hazardous and problematic issues, like knob-and-tube wiring starting a fire.
The plumbing in older homes is no exception. Old pipes can rust, wear out, or leak, connections can be haphazard, and temporary patches don’t last. To keep your older Atlanta home’s plumbing in good condition, use these maintenance tips on a regular basis:
- Check for leaks. Look along the pipes that run through the basement and check for pools of water on the floor. Add some food coloring to the tanks of toilets and watch to see if the bowl fills up with colored water. Always fix leaks promptly to avoid bigger, costlier problems down the line.
- Keep an eye on the main supply cut-off valve. You should always know where this valve is and be able to easily access it. Should an appliance overflow or pipe burst, you’ll need to shut down the water promptly.
- When leaving your home for vacation, be sure to keep some heat on in the winter. Letting the home’s temperature drop too far, alongside extreme outdoor temperatures, makes your home’s plumbing pipes susceptible to freezing.
- Use strainers in tubs and sinks to catch soap, hair and so forth before it goes down the drains and causes a clog.
- Every month, fill up tubs and sinks until they’re full, and then unplug them to let the force of the water clear out the pipes.
- Be careful of putting bad-for-you items down sinks — like grease, egg shells, fibrous foods and foods that swell with moisture. These items will clog drains. Instead, throw them in the garbage or install a garbage disposal system.
- Don’t use caustic drain cleaners. These liquids can damage pipes, and worse, if you ignore a serious problem by continuously trying to clear the drain, you’ll be facing much larger, more expensive problems in the future.
- Test washing machine hoses and ensure the connection is secure. Inspect the hoses and make sure there are no leaks.
- Keep other water systems in good condition. For example, check the lines to your fridge’s icemaker, regularly service appliances (like your water heater, clothes washer and washing machine), and always call a plumber if you suspect trouble. The longer you wait to deal with plumbing in older homes, it generally gets worse.
If you’re dealing with plumbing in older homes, contact your local experts for help. For answers to your questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
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