As a new homeowner can be an exciting journey, yet with it comes many adjustments and challenges – one is dealing with home plumbing issues. Luckily, you can prevent these from surfacing in your new home.
Click on the following link to learn more about the new home plumbing costs you can expect to pay as a new homeowner.
For more information about plumbing services be sure to check out Inner City Plumbing.
1. Get a Plumbing Inspection
The plumbing system consists of water lines connecting sinks, toilets, shower drains, and appliances with each other to bring water into and drain wastewater out of a home. Because these lines often run behind walls or beneath floors, it’s often difficult for homeowners to inspect them on their own; professional inspection can identify leaky pipes, clogs and any issues which might require costly repairs in the future.
Leaky pipes can cause irreparable damage to wood floors, carpets, walls and priceless mementos if left unattended for too long. As such, new homeowners should conduct a comprehensive plumbing inspection before moving in to ensure their investment is secure and identify any immediate plumbing issues they’ll need to address immediately.
2. Insulate Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes are one of homeowners’ most damaging plumbing nightmares and can result in expensive water damage. It usually happens when water freezes inside a pipe and expands, breaking or cracking it and leading to leakage in your home.
Insulating your pipes will help stop this and should be done for all exposed water lines in unheated home parts, such as the attic or crawlspace.
Spray foam insulation will also save money on energy costs by keeping hot water warm as it travels around your home, thus protecting against losses in heat energy as it leaves. Spray foam is also ideal for safeguarding pipes in your house from corrosion, damage or leaks, and leakage, giving it another reason for consideration as part of your home security strategy.
3. Clean Drains Regularly
Every day, our drains get filled with soap scum, hair, dirt and grease that builds up over time to form a clog. Maintaining clean gutters is the best way to avoid this situation and is much less expensive than calling emergency plumbing services for clogged pipes or a sewer backup.
Be wary of placing medications, paper towels, and cotton balls in your drains. Doing so could clog the drain or release chemicals into your water source, harming humans and the environment. Healthy drains require fewer repairs, making them worth your time. Installing drain strainers in sinks and bathtubs may also be worthwhile.
4. Install a Backflow Prevention Device
Backflow prevention is an invaluable plumbing tip for new homeowners, as it prevents polluted water from entering your home and polluting public water supply lines.
Backflow devices consist of valves installed into your drain system to block wastewater flow and protect drinking water sources from potential contamination by reversed wastewater flow. Without one, wastewater could enter these sources and pollute drinking water sources with bacteria and other impurities contaminating them with dangerous pathogens.
Backflow contamination can make you sick and has even resulted in deaths in some instances. To safeguard against it, get your backflow tested regularly, as this is an affordable way to ensure that drinking water remains safe for daily consumption.
