Residential plumbing and water supply issues can be a great concern for home owners. Whether you are linked to the mains or have a septic tank, residential plumbing issues must be taken seriously.

Water damage is one of the hardest problems to rectify in a property. Therefore, ensuring your residential plumbing systems are maintained is important. There are certain things you can do to maintain your plumbing works. Luckily, some of them are very simple tasks that you can do on a day-to-day basis.

Who is Your Local Residential Plumbing Contractor?

Upon moving into your property, identify local maintenance businesses, such as a residential plumbing contractor, that you can call upon if you ever need them.

Many local plumbers will know the age of the local sewage works and can probably ascertain the condition of your pipes from the age of your property. Water bills can be very costly and you must do all you can to keep these costs down. 

There are many simple tips you can do that will reduce the risk of damaging any residential plumbing work.  Some of these tips should be common sense, but some of these tips may be forgotten if you’ve been in a rush or lead a hectic lifestyle. 

Best Tips to Retain Healthy Plumbing Systems

#1 Don’t flush any sanitary products down the toilet. Sanitary products include wet wipes, sanitary pads, tampons and nappies. It’s important to dispose of these correctly to stop them from joining together which will cause your toilet to overflow. 

#2 Do not put oils or fats down the sink. If you are wanting to dispose of these via your sewage systems, make sure you do so by flushing them down the toilet. This is because oils and fats are thicker than water and are likely to collect in your u-bend and any bends in your pipes causing fat balls and smelly drains. These can be costly to track down in your pipes and costly to fix.

#3 Make sure you use a strainer when cooking or pouring anything down your sink. The biggest cause for smelly drains is decomposing food that has fallen into your pipework. The smell usually comes from the u-bend, but smelly drains and decomposing food can also lead to fruit flies which can be hard to eliminate.

#4 As a homeowner, you should always know the location of your mains water switch, also known as your stop cock. This is because if you would do leak anywhere in the house, you can isolate the water to prevent more damage. Knowing where your stop cock is can save you a lot of money and much residential plumbing repair work by simply being able to isolate your house from the main water supply. 

#5 Make sure your sewer drain is accessible. If you have any issues with your toilet you need to be able to easily access your sewage drain to clear any blockages. Identify where any pipelines are and have clear access to these. They should be on your property so that you can deal with these issues promptly. Sometimes if you own an older property they may be covered with grass or weeds and you must make sure they are clear in case of an emergency. 

These tips are not exhaustive but make sure you do everything you can to not need a plumber unless you’ve got planned work!