Plumbing issues are one of life’s little hassles; unfortunately, sometimes they’re unavoidable. It’s always a wise idea to contact qualified plumbing professionals to deal with problems when they arise, but as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are some tips for things you can do to help avoid common issues with your plumbing.

Blocked drains. The best way to avoid clogged drains in your tub, your kitchen, or other areas of your house is to be vigilant about what you wash or flush down them (easier said than done when you have small children, we know!). It’s also a good idea to pour boiling water mixed with a bit of dishwashing liquid down your kitchen drain on a regular basis; doing so dissolves grease, which can build up and cause clogs.

Frozen pipes. If you live in a cold climate, you’ve likely had to deal with frozen pipes. While there’s not much you can do to make the weather warm up, you can help prevent pipe freezing by making sure that your basement and outdoor pipes are properly insulated. Also, although it might seem wasteful or counterintuitive, you should not turn off your heat completely if you go out of town during the winter. Turn it down, but not off – allow for just a little bit of heat to circulate through the pipes and help prevent freezing.

Leaky faucets. Leaky faucets are fairly difficult to avoid, because they are typically the result of wear and tear on the parts that make the faucet work. Still, if you’re looking to prevent them, rather than to fix them, consider making faucet inspections part of your spring cleaning ritual – replacing the washers, o-rings and other components are relatively straightforward and inexpensive to do yourself.

Poorly-done repairs. A depressingly large amount of plumbing issues stem from someone not doing the repairs right in the first place. So do your research when it comes to choosing a qualified plumber!

If you’ve moved past prevention and are in need of a plumbing cure, let SSI plumbing professionals help you. Contact us today!