Corroded and broken pipes cause leaks and water damage. You need to take care of your plumbing to avoid costly mistakes and reduced home value. Here are some pieces of advice from plumbers and other utility professionals:
Don't Forget to Ask Questions Before Buying a Home
Homeowners should pay attention to plumbing needs before they move in. When in the market for a new house or apartment, you have to be ready with the right questions.
American Water Resources suggested current owners or potential buyers should ask these questions about a building's plumbing capabilities:
1. How old are the pipes?
2. What are they made of?
3. What are the environmental concerns?
The majority of U.S. water pipes are quite old and most are due for inspection or repair. Older equipment is sometimes made out of clay or tile. These materials are prone to breakage or degradation, especially after long periods of time.
Soil can corrode pipe material. If the ground around a home contains high levels of chlorine or low levels of soil resistivity (how well the soil resist the flow of electricity), it will damage pipes running through it. Sandy soil is better for pipe performance and clay soil is the most likely to cause degradation and plumbing water damage.
Other environmental factors homeowners need to consider include weather and vegetation. Areas with drastic seasonal changes damage water utilities through rapid shifts between extreme high and low temperatures. Invasive tree roots are attracted to pipes because they provide a source of water.
Potential home buyers need to inquire about these factors before purchasing to avoid future water damage. Current homeowners should make sure they have the answers to these questions by speaking with a local plumber.
Don't Make These Everyday Plumbing Mistakes
As you use plumbing around your house, there are a few best practices you should adopt and some bad habits you need to break.
Don't Rely on Chemical Options: Today Home interviewed a team of plumbing professionals and found multiple experts advised against chemical solutions for drain issues. Store-bought chemicals rarely open clogged drains and harsh reactions could hurt the pipes. Toilet fresheners may also include ingredients that wear out parts of the tank.
Don't Put Weight on Pipes: You should not hang items off of pipes or other plumbing. The most common cause of equipment stress is using the shower head for support when climbing in and out of the tub or hanging heavy toiletry racks on plumbing.
Don't Overload Drains: Toilets and garbage disposals must only be utilized for their intended purposes. Only certain materials can be shredded by most household disposals and parents should restrict small children's access to bathrooms so toys are not flushed.
Don't Make These Repair Mistakes
You can tackle certain plumbing projects yourself. Simple equipment replacements or small repairs, however, can lead to further damage if caution isn't taken.
Don't Forget How to Put Things Back Together: Plumbing experts spoke with Popular Mechanics about common home repair mistakes. Amateurs have a bad habit of disassembling plumbing equipment and forgetting how to put it back together again. A missing part or poorly reconstructed feature leads to leaks and water damage. Plumbing professionals recommended taking pictures of progress to ensure steps are not forgotten.
Don't Connect Different Metals Without the Right Equipment: If you're connecting two different kinds of materials, like steel and copper, you need to use a proper connector to prevent corrosion. A special dielectric union should be available at a local hardware store.
Don't Mess Around with Water Heaters: If the water heater has major issues, its time to call a local plumber. Amateurs shouldn't try to test temperature and pressure or drain water from the equipment. Mistakes made with a water heater can cause scalding water to injure people and damage property.
Besides these tips, the most common piece of advice is to stay vigilant. Home ownership is a big responsibility and you want to inspect every piece of your property for plumbing issues before they become real water damage problems.