Taking care of an aging home can be challenging. But with the right maintenance, your older home can continue to serve as your family’s castle for years to come.
One of the most important ways to protect your investment is to keep up with preventive plumbing maintenance. Safeguarding your plumbing system can help you avoid many types of damage and deterioration. Take a closer look at how preventive plumbing can protect your home.
Leak Detection
It’s easy to forget about the plumbing pipes that run behind your home’s interior walls. Unfortunately, they can develop leaks just as easily as the pipes under your kitchen sink. While preventive plumbing will help reduce the risks of a hidden leak, you should still look out for possible problems.
Even though you can’t see all your pipes, you can still watch for the signs of a leak. Ask your plumber about leak detection services if you notice excessive water waste, find moisture damage, or hear water running behind your walls.
Drain Cleaning
By preventing clogged drains, you can protect your drain pipes against faster corrosion. Cleaner drains will also mean fewer clogged drain pipes throughout the year. Otherwise, debris, grease, and gunk build up and promote decay and corrosion.
This debris can also cause the seals to deteriorate, making leaky pipes more likely. Make drain cleaning an essential part of your preventive plumbing plan.
What Can I Safely Rinse Down My Kitchen Drain?
You can flush most liquids down your kitchen drain, such as coffee, juice, and milk. It’s also safe to rinse soft foods through the drain system. These foods include applesauce, yogurt, and condiments. Avoid letting other foods flow through your drains, though, and reach out to a plumbing company to clear stubborn clogs.
Pipe Insulation
Especially when dealing with plumbing in older homes, it’s important to prevent frozen and burst pipes. The frigid Anchorage climate can devastate the exposed pipes that run through your basement, attic, or garage.
When discussing preventive plumbing with your plumber, ask them to insulate your exposed pipes. They can use foam sleeves and spray foam to create an effective barrier.
Should I Ask a Plumber to Insulate My Indoor Plumbing Pipes?
It’s typically not necessary to insulate the plumbing pipes that run through the heated rooms in your home. However, you should protect the pipes that run beneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks.
Leave those cabinet doors open, and let your faucets drip on especially colder days. The running water works as plumbing maintenance by keeping moisture from freezing inside your pipes.
Water Heater Maintenance
A technician can visually inspect your water heater for common signs of pipe corrosion. Preventive plumbing maintenance often means fine-tuning the water heater each year. In addition to checking the fuel line, burners, thermocouple, and other components, your technician may also flush the tank. Flushing the tank helps get rid of sediment and corrosion.
Experience the Benefits of Preventive Plumbing Maintenance
At Drain Masters, the comfort of the Anchorage community is our priority. We offer a wide range of maintenance services to help you extend the longevity of your equipment, no matter your home’s age. Contact us to schedule service today.