Maybe you aren’t into making New Year’s Resolutions. We understand—sometimes putting up a big plan for the year seems daunting and makes you afraid of failure. But there are smaller resolutions you can make that aren’t so much vows for personal betterment as they are simply planning. For example, planning to have better plumbing in Plattsburgh, NY for 2020. No need for a resolution, you just have to remember some basic steps and a few tasks and you’ll have plumbing with far fewer problems and better future ahead of it.
Let’s go through the six “resolutions” we recommend for your plumbing!
1. Put in drain strainers and drain covers for the bathroom drains
One of the worst things that can happen to your bathroom drains is clots of hair and soap scum creating clogs and slow drainage. You may think there is no way to avoid this—hair and soap are going to go down the drain no matter what—but there is. You can purchase drain strainers and drain covers at home improvement stores that keep unwanted particles out of the drains. They’re easy to put in place and simple to clean.
2. Insulate the pipes
If you’ve encountered problems with frozen pipes before, you know what hassle they can be. Although you can call our experts to fix frozen pipes (please don’t attempt to unfreeze them yourself), it’s even better to have the pipes protected with insulation. Purchase insulating sleeves from a hardware store and cover over all exposed pipes.
3. Have the water heater maintained and flushed
Do you remember to have your heating system inspected and tuned-up each fall? Make sure you have the same annual service done for the water heater—and it doesn’t need to be in fall, it can be any time of the year if you haven’t had it done yet. A crucial part of water heater maintenance is flushing the tank to remove excess sediment, which prevents many future troubles.
4. Go easy on the garbage disposal
You’re probably treated the kitchen sink garbage disposal harsher than you should. Don’t pour fats, oils, grease, coffee grounds, fibrous vegetables, or bones down it. Nothing you can’t chew with your teeth belongs in the disposal. And never put actual garbage, like paper and plastic, in the disposal.
5. Don’t use the toilet like a trash can
Similar to the garbage disposal, you shouldn’t put actual trash into a toilet. It’s for human waste and toilet paper only. We want to put special emphasis on moist towelettes, which can easily clump up in the pipes are create a terrible clog. Even if the package says “flushable wipes,” don’t flush them.
6. Schedule routine drain cleaning
Here’s another vital maintenance step people often don’t take during the year. Drain cleaning isn’t only for when a drain stops up. Drain cleaning is a preventive measure as well. Our plumbers will provide your drains with a thorough cleaning that will make it unlikely you encounter any clogs during the year. Regular drain cleaning also gives the pipes a longer life.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC serves Northwest Vermont and Northeast New York. Call us—we offer 24-hour emergency plumbing service.
