You may not give much thought to the plumbing inside your home…that is, until something goes wrong. Instead of simply reacting to a plumbing issue consider these proactive measures to help prevent problems before they arise.
Clearing Away Drain Residue
Over time sink drains can become coated with grease and sludge from a variety of daily tasks. You could use commercial drain cleaners to try to clear them, but chemical cleaners may not be the most optimal—or even the safest—choice. Natural solutions can be safer for your family, less expensive, and equally as effective.
To make your own simple cleaner pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow it with half a cup of vinegar. Allow the two substances to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes as the acidic vinegar breaks down gunk, and the baking soda disinfects and freshens. Finally, pour hot water down the drain to loosen and clear away any remaining residue.
Since the smell of vinegar can be off-putting consider replacing the vinegar with lemon juice, which is also acidic and can help breakdown goo in your drains. You might also think about mixing vinegar with lemon juice for a powerful combo with a bearable scent.
Cleaning the Gutters
You may wonder how gutters could fall within the scope of home plumbing, but many plumbers do consider them to be a part of your plumbing system since they carry water away from your home. Gutters that are clogged with leaves, twigs, and other debris can overflow with rainwater and cause damage to your roof, since water that pools in gutters can rot your fascia, shingles, and the edge of your roofline. Poor drainage from clogged gutters can also cause rainwater to overflow and settle around your foundation and create cracks that expand with time.
To clean your gutters position a ladder on level ground and use gloves and a hand shovel to gather and scoop out debris. Do your best to remove remnants of wet leaves, and other organic material, that may have composted at the bottom. Once you’ve sufficiently emptied your gutters use a hose to rinse them clean, and verify that water is properly flowing through downspouts and away from your foundation.
