Tips from Trusted Plumbers for Maintaining Your Plumbing System | Katy, TX

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If you're like most people, you can't afford to pay for expensive repairs or replace crucial parts of your plumbing system. This is why it's so important to make sure you do what you can to extend the life of your plumbing system and prevent frequent problems. The best way to do this is to have plumbers come to your Katy, TX, home every once in a while for maintenance. However, there are a lot of little things you can do in the meantime to make sure you're taking the best care of your plumbing.

Seasonal Maintenance

The simplest thing you can do to make sure your plumbing system doesn't have any problems is hire a plumber to do seasonal maintenance. Most plumbers will recommend you have seasonal plumbing maintenance done a few times each year. However, it's particularly important to have maintenance done during the fall if you aren't comfortable preparing your home for the coming winter.

A big part of having seasonal plumbing maintenance done is the fact that it puts you on a schedule that ensures you take care of your plumbing. When it comes to preparing your plumbing for any season but winter, there isn't a whole lot you need to do that's specific to that season. The big thing during winter is making sure your pipes don't freeze and burst.

When you have seasonal plumbing maintenance done, plumbers will check for leaks and clogs in your plumbing system. Depending on the time of year, your gutters and downspouts will be cleaned. It's also a good idea to have all the fixtures and appliances in your home inspected at this time.

Timely Repairs

Nobody wants to spend money on costly plumbing repairs, but spending a little bit now is better than spending a fortune in the future. Plumbing problems don't simply get better on their own, and most of them get worse if you don't do anything about them.

If you notice a problem with your plumbing, you should have professional plumbers get it fixed right away. Whether you're dealing with a small leak or a decrease in water pressure throughout your Katy, TX, home, fixing problems now prevents them from getting worse. Over time, leaks get bigger and bigger and will eventually cause significant water damage and a spike in your water bill.

The best way to make sure you're not letting plumbing problems get worse is to have plumbers you can call as soon as something goes wrong. Between the cost of major repairs and the convenience of having a problem-free plumbing system, it's always worth spending a little money to have plumbing problems fixed.

Drain Tips

Something a lot of homeowners don't think about is the effect they have on their drains. While plumbers do their best to make sure your plumbing system can handle what you put down the drains, there are some things they simply can't handle.

Flushable wipes are one of the biggest things you should stay away from when it comes to drain clogs. While these wipes are marketed as being safe to flush, they don't break down well in water and tend to cause clogs. Other clog-causing items people commonly flush include makeup products, menstrual products and cotton swabs.

When it comes to your kitchen sink, you should put as little food down the drain as possible. Even if you have a garbage disposal, your sink drain simply isn't designed to handle a bunch of food going down it. Some things, such as bones, stringy foods and grease, are especially bad to put down the drain.

Harsh drain cleaners are another thing you should avoid putting down your drains. While Drano may be one of the most popular drain cleaners, most plumbers would tell you to stay far away from it. The chemicals in harsh drain cleaners can damage pipes, which is why it's always better to use an enzyme-based drain cleaner.

Preparing for Winter

Every winter, you need to make sure you're preparing your plumbing for the cold weather. Preventing frozen pipes is the most important part of making sure your home is ready for winter. While there are some little things you can do yourself, you can always call a plumber to make sure everything is in order.

First off, you need to shut off and drain your hose bib to keep it from freezing. Since hose bibs are located on outside walls with little or no insulation, they're the most likely to freeze. If you've got pipes in poorly insulated areas or on exterior walls, you might consider wrapping them with a heat cable to keep them from freezing.

Fixtures and Appliances

Every once in a while, you should take a look at the fixtures and appliances in your Katy, TX, home. While plumbers are more likely to spot a problem with a faucet or water heater, there are plenty of more obvious problems, too.

The main thing you want to watch out for is leaking, but strange noises and smells are also common signs of a problem. If you notice a loud noise every time you use hot water or a moldy smell in your bathroom, you should have somebody take a look at it.

Simplify Things

As important as it is to stay on top of plumbing maintenance, it isn't easy. Aside from calling plumbers to take care of major seasonal maintenance, it's also important to know what you should and shouldn't do if you want your plumbing to last.

Fortunately, the plumbers at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Northwest Houston are here for all your plumbing maintenance and repair needs. Whether you need to set up a seasonal maintenance schedule, have a major problem fixed or get your plumbing prepared for winter, we can help. Next time you need top-quality plumbing maintenance and repairs, call bluefrog at (346) 222-5848.