Residents in places like California look to their qualified plumbers to reveal their methods for optimum home upkeep. A quality plumber will instruct and provide plumbing tips on how a homeowner can prevent repeat services to save money on repairs and replacements with their system.

Reputable plumber services will inspect the system in a preventive maintenance capacity roughly once each year to assess for defects or damages and make any necessary corrections. 

Plumbing Tips from Experts

Expert Plumbing Tips

Let’s look at a few plumbing tips we have received from expert plumbing contractors:

Turn the Water Heater Temperature Down

People often keep their water heater in a higher setting to enjoy greater temperatures, mainly with a nice, hot shower. The experts in the plumbing profession want homeowners to know these temperatures should be reduced by roughly 10 degrees.

In taking that measure, you have the potential for savings on your utility costs of approximately five percent. According to the EPA or US Environmental Protection Agency, a water heater needs to be kept between a range of “115 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Money Saving Plumbing Tips: Check for Leaks

A water bill can grow to extraordinary amounts if there are leaks in your system. One specific area to pay close attention to is the toilet. When there are leaks with this appliance, gallons of water can be lost in any given month. 

If the reason for the leakage is due to a broken fixture, take care of the problem by replacing this part straight away. If you’re unsure what’s causing the leak or where it’s coming from with the toilet, contact a professional to check it out and have it corrected.

Keep Drains Clear

Homeowners are instructed to keep specific items out of the drains due to the potential for clogging and damage to the pipes. A few things you should keep out of the kitchen sink include coffee grounds and grease after cooking. 

Washing your hair in the sink is not recommended since this is also a leading cause of clogs. The suggestion is to clean the sinks frequently to prevent the possibility of a buildup of debris or grime. Also, call for a professional if the water starts to drain slower than usual.

Clogs in the drain can create backwash, with the worst-case scenario being the possibility of pipes breaking.

Watch What You Flush

Another thing a plumbing professional wants homeowners to recognize is not everything is meant to go into the toilet. Many people attempt to flush items like “flushable” baby wipes, feminine products, and paper products not specific to the bathroom. These lead to significant clogging, as do things like hair, and debris, things people believe will just flush away. And then there are the toys kids want to see disappear.

It’s disheartening to see the water as it starts to rise in the bowl and will invariably flow out. A suggested fix is to “push the flush valve down” inside the tank to get the water to stop. That allows you a bit of time to determine a solution, one of which will likely be contacting the plumber for help removing the obstacle.

Go here to learn about recycling “greywater” from toilets and other appliances.

Lifesaving Plumbing Tips: Mesh Drain Covers

A preventive measure for keeping soap globs, hair, and other particles from getting into the drain to create a clog is to employ the use of budget-friendly mesh covers in showers, tubs, and sink drains.  These capture the material allowing you to clean it out into the bin so that you don’t need to attempt to snake it from the drain or contact the plumbing contractor to fish it out.

Final Thoughts on Plumbing Tips

Although Fremont plumbers will share their trade secrets during maintenance, you’ll sometimes need a professional for a repair or emergency.

Attempting DIY for plumbing situations when you’re not familiar with the system can lead to more significant damages and higher repair costs. While you might troubleshoot where the problem is coming from, a professional repair will keep the system functioning optimally.

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About the Author: Patricia Davis Brown

Patricia, like her blog, is not a one-dimensional designer, which is evident in her accolades of 17 national design awards. Over a 38-year career in the industry, she has carved a niche in several areas of design. Licensed in interior design and certified in kitchen and bath design, she offers a full menu of design services ranging from whole house interior design, kitchen and bath design, lighting design, full remodels, commercial design and universal (ADA) design. Patricia is a sought-after speaker in the industry and has been published in many publications as seen on her interior design firm’s website, https://www.patriciadavisbrowndesigns.com/. She writes for such publications as QuinStreetinc, Relaxed Remodeler, and eHow.com talent offering design tips.