When it comes to caring for your home, cleaning and maintaining your valuables are easy ways to get your things to last longer and work better. Whether it is a bike, car, or a machine that you love, the extra effort put into tuning and tidying up can go a long way. The same is true for your home plumbing system. At Griffin, we get countless calls about plumbing disasters that could have been avoided with simple preventative measures over the years. Clogged drains, leaking pipes, broken faucets and overflowing garbage disposals—wouldn’t you rather avoid these massive problems? We sure would.
Today our Pismo pros are giving you the basics when it comes to plumbing maintenance. A little know-how can help you avoid taking hours (even days) out of your schedule for costly repairs.
Step 1: Understanding Your Home’s Water System
The first step in preventative plumbing maintenance is to understand your home water system. This doesn’t mean you need to be an expert, just simply take the time to look around your house and familiarize yourself with everything that uses water in your home, such as:
- Bathroom Sinks and Drains
- Refrigerator, Kitchen Sink and Disposal
- Water Heater & Washer and Dryer
- Toilets, Showers, Bathtubs
All of these can be maintained and monitored with minimal effort so that plumbing problems never get out of hand. Being familiar with your appliances, and the routes of pipes throughout your home and property, is the first step to being able to troubleshoot issues that may arise over time.
Step 2: Troubleshooting & Prevention
After you become familiar with the plumbing throughout your home, it is important to watch out for warning signs. Many folks will ignore a problem, especially when it doesn’t cause an inconvenience. If they are left untreated however, they can cause everything from increased water bills to pipes bursting or major clogs. Our plumbers in Pismo Beach often see these kind of easy do-it-yourself fixes looked over:
Clogged drains
From shower drains to kitchen sinks, it is easy to ignore slow draining water. Rather than waiting until the day it doesn’t drain at all, take the time to clean out all your home drains. Bathtubs and showers often gather hair and soap debris, and it is easy to remove this build-up especially if you have a drain screen. Kitchen garbage disposals are also easy cleans. This can save you costly repairs and a time consuming appointment with a plumber.
Leaking faucets and showerheads
Slow leaks are one of the most common small issues to ignore. Although they aren’t totally inconvenient, the leaks can lead to increased water bills, and can also get worse over time and lead to surprise water damage. Replacing your sink’s washer attached to the stern often solves leaks. First, shut off the water supply. Usually the shut-off valve is under the sink in the kitchen, or under the lavatory basin. Simply take a padded wrench, unscrew the nut attached to the stern, and swap out the washer. This fix takes a little bit more time, and requires knowing the brand of your sink.
Running toilets
If your find your toilet is constantly running, it is often the case that a faulty seal around the valve seat is causing the issue. Over time gunk and debris forms around the valve seat and flapper, which simply takes a gentle cleaning of both of these parts.
Step 3: Knowing When to Call Your Plumber
The final step in preventative plumbing maintenance is knowing when it is time to call a professional for help. Many plumbing problems are complex, and trying to fix them can be dangerous for you and lead to serious damage to your home. If you come across any of these red flags, know it is time to give your friendly plumbers in Pismo a call:
- If you come across major water damage seeping from your walls or the ground, leave it to the pros to handle. Mold often comes along with leaks, especially if they have been hidden for a while. Leave it to an expert to assess the situation.
- If you come across backflow from your toilets, kitchen sink, or shower, leave it be and call a plumber. Hazardous waste is dangerous, and an experienced professional should save the day.
- If you begin to notice tree roots growing around your sewer system, don’t take the matter into your own hands. A professional will have the tools and knowledge to fix the situation, especially our Pismo plumbing experts who are certified in Trenchless Sewer Repair.
- If you come across a broken pipe, call your plumber ASAP. These are serious issues that require professional solutions.
- Finally, major repairs, replacements, and new installations should always be left to a professional plumber. Not only do they have years of experience, but they also have material and method guarantees to ensure that your fix is of the highest quality.
At Griffin, our top priority is to ensure you get the best service and fix possible. Our friendly Pismo plumbers take the time to explain to you just what the problem is, and each step that we are going to take to fix it. We want to empower our clients to take preventative plumbing maintenance into their own hands, while also assuring them that our experts are just a phone call away when a plumbing nightmare strikes. Know that with Griffin, it’s the right fix the first time, every time. Give our friendly associates a call today at (805) 751-7206 to book your next plumbing project.
