Plumbing 101

Things You Should Know about Your Plumbing

Plumbing is a complicated system for which care can be very simple. You won’t be tasked with changing your own pipes, unless you simply wish to do this on your own, but you will need to make sure that you’ve got everything you need to properly care for your plumbing. Whether your plumbing responsibility is your home or your business, you’re responsible for knowing how to take care of your plumbing from day to day. If you have questions, your local plumber is always available to answer them for you, but if you have a problem, always consider calling them out to have a look.

Pipe Care is the Life of a Building

Putting your plumbing first is something that will save you a great deal of worry later down the line. You have all of the time in the world to worry about decorating your home or business, promoting your business, watching it succeed, or watching your children grow. You wouldn’t just sit back and let anything happen to your home or business. Your plumbing shouldn’t be something that you just sit back, and wait for problems. Instead, have your plumbing inspected every now and then. This is hardly necessary every week, but if you have a plumbing system that goes through a lot in a given week, taking the time to check out any and all plumbing fixtures is a must. This means toilets, faucets, showerheads, and sinks.

Inspecting Your Plumbing Starts with You

Basic plumbing care is everyone’s responsibility. We all value a bathroom that is clean, absolutely, but what makes a bathroom a hygienic place to be is the ability to take unsanitary water away from the area. Make sure to impress upon everyone the importance of using the least amount of toilet tissue necessary, and not flushing anything down the toilet that is not the least amount of toilet tissue necessary. Likewise, it is important to make sure that everyone that uses a sink to understand that washing hair and peelings down a drain can stop the drain, and cause both frustration, and actual problems. Fibrous vegetables, seeds, and hair are three things that frequently and thoroughly clog drains, which can prevent the expedient release of unsanitary water from the area. Besides clogging drains, washing things down the sink may cause back up, which can smell badly, and stop garbage disposals from working, which, in turn, will cause other issues.

Certain Types of Pipes are Better than Others

By now, everyone has heard of the issues with lead in small, poor cities in Michigan and Louisiana. What few people know is that leaded pipes used to be a standard building material. Most everyone these days understands that lead is a health hazard, but that has only been a publicly known fact since the 1970s. Copper pipes are the holy grail of piping. Made with a mineral that does more good than harm in people, copper has a long life, and a high rust tolerance. Rust happens when moisture clings to a metal, and the metal oxidizes. Copper is one of the last metals to succumb to rust, making it a great material to use for piping. Also recommended is specially treated plastics. Plastic pipes don’t freeze, and easily protect your water supply. If you have questions about the right piping for your home or business, ask your local plumbing company.