Hidden in the walls of every home is a network of pipes. These pipes serve the important function of supplying your home with water and gas (as well as transporting wastewater out of your home).
Keeping this plumbing functioning well is key to the smooth running of your home. Disasters like leaks and blockages can disrupt your everyday life, and be costly to repair – in some cases, even posing a serious danger (particularly gas leaks).
Some people see plumbing issues as an inevitable, random event. However, the truth is that they can often be prevented through careful maintenance and good habits. Below are just a few ways to protect your pipes and save money, reducing disruption.
Fix leaks promptly
Leaks of any kind should never be ignored. Even if it’s a tiny drip, continued wear could eventually turn this into a steady flow. Besides, even a small drip can cause water damage to wooden floors or brickwork over time, as well as promote mould growth and increase your water bills.
Call out an emergency plumber as soon as you notice a problem to minimise further damage and costs. Because pipes can be hidden in walls, you won’t always notice them leaking immediately, but there are warning signs to look out for, such as damp patches, dripping noises or changes in water pressure.
As for gas leaks, these should be dealt with immediately as they are a serious danger. If you can smell gas and there is not an obvious source, turn off the gas at the mains and get out of your home until a plumber arrives.
Be careful what you put down your drains
Your drains are not a garbage disposal for everything in your kitchen and bathroom. To avoid blockages and damage to pipes, it is important to be mindful of what you put down your drains.
A few things to avoid putting down your drains include:
- Grease and oil: This can solidify in pipes and cause blockages.
- Coffee grounds: They clump together and don’t break down easily.
- Food scraps: Scraps like potato peels, rice, and eggshells are common culprits behind clogged u-bends.
- Nappies: Nappies are certain to get jammed in pipes if you try to flush them down the toilet.
- Flushable wipes: Despite being marketed as ‘flushable’, these wipes don’t dissolve like toilet paper.
- Hair: Hair can become tangled with soap scum and lead to blockages, which is why it’s worth using a shower drain hair catcher.
- Paint: Pouring leftover paint down a drain could corrode your pipes.
To be safe, try to avoid putting as few solids or chemicals down your drains as possible.
Treat clogged pipes carefully
When you do experience a blockage in a pipe, how you deal with this blockage can be important to consider, too. Certain methods of unclogging pipes can risk causing damage to plumbing – you might get rid of the blockage, but there will be further headaches around the corner.
Which methods are generally safe for pipes? In most cases, start by using a plunger – using suction, these tools can help dislodge most minor blockages without harming your pipes. If a plunger isn’t working, try pouring a solution of hot water and dish soap down the drain. If this doesn’t work, professional intervention should be considered.
Which methods should you avoid? Although sometimes effective, harsh chemical ‘drain cleaners’ can often cause corrosion to PVC or old metal pipes, and are best avoided. You should also be careful with home-made drain snakes – if these break off, they can contribute to blockages, and plumbing may need to be disconnected to get them out.
Be wary of pressure problems
It’s important to keep an eye on your home’s water pressure. Overly high water pressure can put stress on plumbing and lead to burst pipes. Unusually low pressure could be a sign of a blockage or leak.
You can test your home’s water pressure using a water pressure gauge – the pressure should ideally read between 40 and 60 PSI. If it’s reading more or less than this, there is likely a problem that needs to be fixed – call out a plumber as soon as you can.
Insulate outdoor plumbing
Outdoor pipes are exposed to the elements, and the water in them is at risk of freezing up in the winter. When this happens, the ice can expand and cause pipes to crack and burst.
It’s recommended that you insulate outdoor plumbing with foam sleeves to prevent winter damage. It’s not just outdoor pipes that can be prone to this, but also pipes in cold uninsulated indoor spaces like lofts, garages or basements – insulate these pipes too as a precaution.
Watch out for tree roots
Tree roots are silent invaders that can infiltrate underground pipes and cause leaks and blockages. This is because tree roots seek out moisture and are therefore drawn to pipes.
It’s recommended that you avoid planting trees directly around your home for this reason. If you’ve already got trees positioned close to your home, keep an eye on them and look out for warning signs like slow drains, gurgling toilets or damp patches on the ground outside your home.
Deal with rodent infestations
Did you know that mice and rats can chew through pipes? This is less likely to be the case with metal pipes; however, PVC pipes are easy to chew through. This can lead to leaks occurring and water becoming contaminated.
If you have a rodent problem, the best solution is often to call out a pest control service. You may not always see rodents in your home, but there are tell-tale signs that they are living there, such as scratching noises in the walls or dropping on the floor.
Avoid long-term DIY fixes
It’s tempting to seal up a leaky pipe with duct tape and forget about it; however, this type of DIY fix is not going to last. If the leaky section of pipe is corroded, it will continue to corrode until the duct tape can no longer hold it, and then you have a massive leak on your hands.
Duct tape can be a good temporary fix until a plumber arrives, but otherwise shouldn’t be treated as a long-term fix.
Conclusion
All in all, it’s worth taking preventative action to preserve your pipes. This includes fixing leaks promptly, being selective as to what you put down pipes, treating clogged pipes carefully, looking out for pressure problems, insulating outdoor pipes, watching out for tree roots, dealing with rodent infestations and avoiding duct tape as a long-term fix.
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