At S&J Plumbing and Gasfitting, our team of plumbing experts have seen every situation you can imagine when it comes to the household plumbing system. From your everyday household blockages to things that just should never be stuck down the toilet. We have seen it all.
Some of the time, the issues we see can be easily avoided if things are properly looked after and maintained (and if only toilet paper goes down the porcelain throne). Below are some basic plumbing maintenance tips to ensure that you only need to give us a call when things really hit the fan. Keep It Clear – One of the biggest ways to ensure your plumbing continues to run smoothly is to not flush things that shouldn’t go down the toilet. Things like cardboard, plastic, hair, and wipes go in the trash, not down the pipes.
1. Don’t poor congealed liquid down the drain – Pouring cooking fats and oils down the drain might seem harmless given their liquid consistency, but these types of liquids can solidify in the pipes over time and cause a blockage.
2. Don’t overload the garbage disposal – At times, it can seem tempting to just put all the food waste and scraps straight into the garbage disposal to save time. But overloading the disposal could both block the pipes and destroy the disposal’s motor, making it an awfully expensive time saver.
3. Check for leaks with food colouring – One of the most effective ways to see if any of your toilet is leaking is to pour food colouring (try to make it a vibrant colour that stands out) into the cistern and wait to see if any of that colour makes it way to the bowl. If some has, best to give us a call sooner rather than later as it could turn from a quick fix into something much more.
4. Clean your shower heads with vinegar – This might seem like an old wife’s tail, but truth be told it works. Regularly dipping the shower heads in a container of vinegar can remove most of the mineral buildup that can occur over time and ensure you have free flowing showers all day long.
5. DO NOT USE CAUSTIC DRAIN CLEANERS – Using caustic drain cleaners to unblock a drain is something you want to avoid at all costs. These types of chemicals tend to get trapped in the pipe and can cause them to corrode and burst.
If you are at that point where some simple maintenance doesn’t fix your issue, call the team at S&J Plumbing and Gasfitting. We can handle all minor and major plumbing issues and are available 24/7.