For the third time this year, you have a leak beneath your sink that soaked your cabinet before you found it. Why does this keep happening? Most times, homeowners in Corpus Christi, Texas, can avoid a nightmare if they ditch the bad habits that cause plumbing problems. Wash your hands of these top causes of plumbing problems to enjoy lower utility costs and less frequent plumbing repairs:
Delaying Plumbing Repairs
Maybe you have a leak in your bathroom sink. You can deal with the drip drip drip; you don’t see a need to call a plumber for something so seemingly minor. But while that dripping may not seem significant now, delaying the plumbing repair can only allow that leak to worsen. As a result, it can cause further damage to your pipes, surrounding cabinetry and wood fixtures.
That leak may be a minor annoyance for you, but you’ll quickly start seeing:
- Your water bills rise.
- Reduced indoor air quality because of biological growth.
- Damage to your home’s structure.
Eventually, you’ll need to get that leak fixed. The longer you put off plumbing repair, the more costly the inevitable repair.
Throwing Food Waste in the Drain
It may be tempting to cut down dishwashing time and rinse all of your leftover food down the drain. But food waste often causes problems in your plumbing system. Even if you have a garbage disposal, large pieces of food can damage it and your pipes, and they may collect and clog.
Certain foods, like coffee grounds, tea leaves and fibrous foods don’t break down well in the disposal. As a result, they can cause further damage. Dumping grease and oil into the sink can also cause blockages. Toss your food waste into the trash instead.
Washing Hair Down the Drain
You may think little of the hair you shave over the sink or the locks that wash down the shower drain. But over time, hair can wreak its fair share of havoc on your pipes. Your hair may seem fine enough, but those fibers easily cling to other hairs, grease, soap and various substances. Together these materials can cause a significant drain blockage. Use mesh guards in your drains to catch hair before it can go down.
Allowing Dirt to Clog Your Pipes
Drains are meant to whisk away the dirt of the day, aren’t they? Not quite. While a little dirt in your sink isn’t anything to worry about, washing too much mud and dirt down your drain too often can cause buildups and clogs. Try to shake off or use a hose to rinse off as much of the dirt as possible outside, then finish the cleaning over your sink.
Using Soap Bars With Fat
Many soaps will go smoothly down your drain with little consequences, but soap bars are another story. Some of the main ingredients in most traditional soap bars are grease and fat. When that soap goes down your drain, the fats mix with other minerals in the water. As a result, they leave soap scum in your pipes. That scum can build up and cause clogs. Try using a different soap to reduce the buildup of this residue.
Tossing Objects in the Toilet
Like your garbage disposal, your toilet may be another tempting place to toss waste when you don’t feel like making the trek to the trash can. Even small objects can damage and clog your pipes, though. This means that you should never throw cotton swabs, feminine hygiene products, and other small toiletries into the toilet. Only toilet paper and waste belong in those pipes.
If you can stop plumbing problems before they start, you’ll save in water bills, repair costs and frustration. Adjust your lifestyle to avoid contributing to these causes of common plumbing problems. To cut off plumbing issues early with some professional repair, call Bodine-Scott at (361) 883-9900.
Image provided by Shutterstock
