You probably do not think a lot about the series of pipes under your floors and inside your walls that bring you clean water every day and get rid of wastewater on demand. Your plumbing system is one of the most important systems in your home, and you will probably agree with this when it breaks down and causes a water leak that damages your floors.

Giving your plumbing system a little attention on the regular can help to prevent these leaks and very costly repairs and keep the system in great shape for longer. Here are a few things you should know about caring for your plumbing system.

Do not use chemical drain cleaning products

Clogged drains are a common problem with home plumbing systems, and most people often go for chemical products to clear them. Unfortunately, these products end up eroding cast iron drainpipes and typically do not eliminate the entire clog. The problem will keep on occurring, and using the chemicals repeatedly slowly eats away at the pipes to the point where a leak develops.

In case your drains are blocked (if your dirty water sits in the drain longer, if dirty water doesn't drain at all or if your drains produce a foul odor) it is advisable to hire a plumber to mechanically remove the chunk of hair, grease or dirt causing the blockage in the pipe.

Prevent Clogging

Since clogging is a common problem with home drainage systems, you need to be proactive about preventing this problem. The backed up water not only puts added pressure on the waste pipes, but it can also cause a terrible smell in your house and harbor disease-causing microorganisms.

Avoid using your toilet as a trash can to flush away any piece of dirt you find around the house. Things like sanitary towels, diapers, pieces of trash around the bathroom, q-tips and so on are definitely going to cause a blockage when flushed into the toilet. You should also consider putting in drain traps in your bathtub or shower drain to catch all the falling hair that is notorious for causing blockage in bathroom drains. Finally, scrape all the food scrapes from your plates and bowls before putting them in the sink or dishwasher.

Install a water softener

Water with high mineral content or hard water shortens the lifespan of plumbing systems. Naturally occurring minerals can corrode joints and fittings.  If you live in an area with hard water, install a water softener to counter the minerals in your water.

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