3 Plumbing Hacks That'll Save You Money As A Homeowner

30 December 2014 by Marvin Carroll

No homeowner wants to spend money on plumbing repairs. Still, every year, homeowners find themselves needing to replace busted pipes, repair garbage disposals, and contact professionals to take care of water damage. In many cases, however, plumbing damage could actually be prevented with some basic care and maintenance. Specifically, these three plumbing hacks can help you save money on plumbing maintenance and repairs down the road.

Know the Signs of a Problem

For starters, simply knowing how to identify the signs of a plumbing problem before it gets out of control will be hugely beneficial, yet so many homeowners know very little about their homes' plumbing systems. One of the most important things you should be able to do as a homeowner is to identify signs of a sewer or pipe leak. Most commonly, this kind of damage occurs after times of heavy rain and is caused by plant and tree roots growing rapidly around (or into) plumbing pipes on the property. Always be on the lookout for standing pools of water in your lawn or faucets that seem to have very low water pressure, as these can be signs of a pipe being constricted or otherwise damaged.

Check Your Washer Hoses

Another common plumbing problem that's easily preventable but can result in a lot of water damage if not prevented is that of washer hoses become disconnected. This can happen on both clothes washers and dishwashers. You see, most water lines are connected to a washer using an adjustable clamp. Over time, these clamps can become worn, rusted, and corroded to the point that they'll begin to leak. If not replaced, the clamp may no longer be able to hold the water line in place; it'll fall out and the result will be flooding in the home. Check your hose clamps regularly and replace them as needed to avoid this unnecessary hassle.

Be Careful What You Put Down the Disposal

Finally, you can also save yourself a lot of money on plumbing repairs by simply being mindful of what you put down your garbage disposal. Generally, you should avoid dumping:

• rice or pasta (it can expand in the pipes and cause clogs)
• egg shells
• fat from meat (it can harden in pipes)
• stems from fruits

Also, after dumping something down your garbage disposal, be sure to turn your water on as you run the disposal, as this will help clear it out more quickly.

Get in touch with a local plumbing company, like MAC Plumbing & Heating, for more details. 

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