Taking proper care of one’s plumbing can keep water flowing while saving hundreds on damages and water loss every year. Here are some tips to fix the plumbing issues in your own home — including the ones you may not know about yet.
DIY Plumbing Repairs
Many people experience backflow in their drains; research shows that in 47% of these cases are due to fat and oil buildups that are dumped down the sink. Using a snake or certain cleaners is one way to potentially free a clogged line. Of course, plumbing services can install and clear lines for customers who aren’t of the DIY type.
Reducing Your Home’s Water Use
Many people have no idea how much water their home may be wasting when they look at their water bill. In reality, a leaky faucet that drips 60 times per minute can waste over 3,000 gallons of water in the course of a year. Statistics from residential and commercial plumbers suggest that up to 35% of residential toilets have some degree of leakage even if the homeowner can’t see it. Most of these are simple fixes that require waterproofing solutions or replacement depending on the severity, yet these are only the surface of the problems a home could potentially face due to costly sewer line repairs.
Why Your Sewer Line Could Be the Root of the Problem
Since most homes use the clay sewer pipes that were installed in the 1980s and earlier, there is a good chance that tree roots could penetrate these lines in search of water. Although one may think a tree is too far from a sewer line, in reality a tree’s root system typically grows between a foot and three feet below the soil and can span horizontally out in a range that exceeds the canopy by two to three times in diameter. If you suspect that your home is in need of sewer line repairs, contact plumbing repair services in your area to get an inspection and get to the root of the problem. More on this topic.