Common Plumbing Problems

It is vital to find out where the main water shutoff valve is and how to turn it off. This is usually either outside your home or in your basement or crawlspace. If you find you are having a difficult time find this or don’t know how to turn it off, we suggest you contact your utility company and have them show you.

If any tools are necessary to turn off your water, keep them handy. Being able to shut your water off at the main valve can be vital to reducing damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.

Consider it important to check each plumbing appliance (sinks, toilets, etc.) concerning their own shutoff valves and verify that they work. If the valves fail to turn off water to the appliance, you should have them fixed by a professional plumber.

These valves come in handy when the need arises to repair individual appliances. If an appliance has no valves, you will need to shut off your water at the main valve to repair it.

When it comes to clogs and slow drains, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the tub or shower, invest in an inexpensive hair trap or screen to prevent drain blockage.

In the kitchen, please do not pour cooking grease down your drain. It will harden and coat your pipes with a sticky scum that will catch other particles and eventually clog the pipe. Instead, keep it in a coffee can or milk container and dispose of it with your garbage once it’s cooled. You should also avoid dumping coffee grounds down the drain. They’re notorious for causing clogs.

Maintaining your drains on a weekly basis is also a good idea to keep your pipes clear. We suggest to pour a half-cup of salt, a half-cup of baking soda and a half-cup of vinegar down the drain and follow with two quarts of boiling water.