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Tips For Homeowners: 7 Must-Do’s From A Plumber | Myrtle Beach, SC
Read this article if you’re a homeowner who wants to maximize the service life of their plumbing appliances and fixtures. We’ve prepared a few helpful tips straight from a plumber. If you have questions, feel free to get in touch with us anytime. We’re always happy to help.
A Few Tips for Homeowners
Below are a few reminders and must-dos from a plumber. These tips are for those who want to prevent costly repairs and save money on their plumbing. Don’t worry, these tips won’t cost a lot. When you follow these tips, rest assured that you’ll be able to improve the efficiency of your plumbing appliances and prevent a costly repair that might lead to structural damage to your home.
Protect Your Pipes
One of the most important things you need to know is why you need to protect the plumbing pipes especially when you live in an older home. If you have modern pipes such as copper or PVC, you’ll be able to maximize their service life and avoid costly pipe replacement in the future.
If you live in an area that gets freezing winters, you must insulate the pipes at all times. Otherwise, the water inside plumbing pipes will freeze and will cause significant damage to your home. If you have pipes in the basement, ensure you also have proper insulation there so that the pipes stay warmer. As much as possible, get an insulating blanket and cover all exposed pipes both inside and outside of your home.
You’ll know the pipes are frozen when you suddenly lose water. Contact a plumber immediately to help you thaw the frozen pipes. Don’t wait for them to expand and burst or you’ll have a flooded home or basement. But the best way to protect them is to also slightly open the faucet; flowing water can prevent those pipes from freezing. Don’t forget to also turn on the heating to warm the pipes. If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to contact a plumber today. Our plumbing experts are always happy to help.
You need to also protect drain pipes by installing strainers to catch food particles, debris and dirt. If you have slow drains, make sure you resolve that immediately. Don’t wait for it to progress into a major drain clog that can cost you a lot of money. Remember, you’ll be dealing with a pest infestation as well if you don’t resolve a drain clog. You can try to resolve a clog with a drain snake. Better yet, call a plumber for a professional drain cleaning service. Never use chemical-based drain cleaners to get rid of a clog because heavily advertised cleaners are extremely damaging to the pipes. Just use natural cleaners when cleaning the drains.
Lastly, you need to check the water pressure in your home. Use a water pressure gauge to check your home’s water pressure levels. Make sure it’s with 40-60 PSI. You have low water pressure when it’s below 40 PSI and this usually indicates a leak in your plumbing. Be careful with high water pressure because it will damage your pipes eventually and lessen their lifespan. Call a plumber to install a water pressure regulator. If the pipes are noisy, there might be leaks somewhere in your plumbing. We suggest you contact a professional for a leak detection service.
Take Care of Your Water Heater
If you have a standard water heater installed in your basement, it’s a must for you to regularly maintain it. Once a year, check your water heater for any signs of damage and make sure you drain the tank to get rid of the sediment buildup. If you don’t do this, the sediment will accumulate in the tank, affecting the efficiency of your water heater. When you run out of hot water or keep getting fluctuating water temperatures, that’s probably the sediment buildup. Try to resolve it by draining the tank. If you can’t resolve it, contact a professional near you.
Additionally, you must also hire a plumber to professionally inspect the water heater. He will need to check all the important components of your unit and check if there’s any water contamination. Routine inspections will give you peace of mind, prevent repairs and extend the life of your water heater.
If you have an old water heater, don’t forget to insulate the hot water tank as well to conserve energy. Consider replacing your water heater if it’s more than 7 or 10 years. A tankless water heater would be a good option if you want to save more money or if you want a water heater that lasts longer. Standard water heaters can last up to 10 years only while a tankless unit can last 20 years.
Install Valves Close to Major Plumbing Appliances
When there’s a leak, you must close the valve to prevent water flow through your pipes. This is why we recommend you install several of these valves and place them near the water heater, washing machine, dishwasher and plumbing pipes. Call a plumber to help you install these valves.
Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach
If you’re looking for a professional who can help repair a pipe or a broken water heater, we have a plumber, always ready to assist. Get in touch with us at your earliest convenience and we’ll schedule you for an appointment right away. We’re an established plumbing company dedicated to ensuring all our customers are completely happy with our services. We also offer emergency services to help those requiring immediate plumbing service.
Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach today for an appointment.
See our previous post on this topic here.