Avoid These Top Plumbing Problems

Your plumbing is an integral part of your home. If you really take a second to think about it, your plumbing affects way more than you ever realize. From your bathroom to your kitchen, your plumbing is what keeps your day running smoothly, that is of course if everything is working as it should. For some, that’s not always the case.

At 1st Home and Commercial Services, we know that most homeowners don’t want to spend their days waiting around for the plumber to come to fix yet another home issue. Though not all problems can be predicted or prevented, there are several little home tips you can follow to keep yourself plumbing emergency free. Here’s are the top plumbing problems and how you, as a homeowner, can do your part to prevent them:

Little to no Hot Water

Have you ever stepped into the shower ready for the hot relaxing shower? Unfortunately, just as you're about to grab the soap, the hot water goes from steamy to arctic cold in a matter of minutes. We’ve all been there at some point in our lives, but if it’s a regular occurrence, it’s time to check your water heater. Today’s modern water heaters come in various options, and sometimes an older one might not be equipped to handle the volume of your home.

One upgrade that can ensure a constant flow of hot water is a tankless unit. These small and space-saving devices allow instant hot water. Since there is no tank, they also promote less water and energy waste. A win-win if you ask us!

Slow Draining Showers

Now if you're still in that shower trying to rush through the ice-cold sprays, and find that you're quickly standing in a pool of water, it’s time to reconsider your shower habits. For starters, do you have a hair catcher? If not, when the last time you’ve cleaned the drains? A standard shower drain sees a lot of soap, body products and hair, lots and lots of hair.

A hair catcher is there to ensure that gunky soapy sudden hair doesn't, go down it. When it does, it can begin to stick the pipes, and lower water flow. This will eventually increase until water flow stops.

Low Water Pressure

Now don’t get low water pressure confused with low flow, there is a difference. If you have low flow water fixtures, your water pressure will be regulated to reduce water waste. However, if you are living in a home without these, and are still noticing that a sudden decrease in your water pressure, a few things can be possible. The easiest fix is that your aerator screen in your fixture might need to be replaced or clean or your showerhead might need to be changed out. If the problem persists, a leak or pipe corrosion could be to blame, and it’s time to call in the professionals to make that call.

Clogged Sinks

Repeat after us: My sink is not a garbage can. For many, especially those with the garbage disposal, throwing dirty plates into the sink is a quick and easy action we often do without a care, but that can lead to some significant clogs and issues. For starters, there are a variety of foods that don’t go down as easy as you think. Pasta, celery, and most fibrous foods swell and stick your pipes and drains

Do you know that cooking grease and fat leftover in the pan? Do you know that it begins to harden? Well, the location of it doesn’t matter, if you throw it down your drain, hot water or not, it will harden and cause buildup.

Remember, always scrape your plates before putting them in the sink and do some research on how to properly use your disposal. It will save you from a significant drain repair down the road.

Other common problems you want to fix as soon you notice them include leaking pipes, dripping fixtures, and running toilets. Ignoring these are going to cost you more in the future. Not only that, it can lead to water waste and water damage, so once you see a drip or leak, call the plumber asap.