Do you frequently need professional plumbing in Houston, TX for your home or business?  Following the plumbing tips in this article can help keep your plumbing system in peak shape, lowering the need for professional plumbing in Houston, TX by preventing the possibility of leaks, clogs and other commonly needed repairs.

When it comes to leaks, most sources state that one drop per second equates to around 8,000 gallons of lost water per year. Below are tips on reducing the amount of water you could potentially be losing in your home.

  • After using the taps make sure you fully close them. If they are fully closed and are continuing to leak you should look into fixing the problem, replacing the faucet or calling in help for professional plumbing in Houston, TX.
  • One way to check and see if you have a leak at home is when there will be no one in your home, before you leave locate your water meter and write down the current reading. When you return, preferably at least eight to ten hours later, inspect the water meter. If the reading has increased you most likely will have a leak. You can then choose to try and locate the leak yourself or call in for professional plumbing in Houston, TX.
  • If you notice that a toilet in your home is running when it has not been flushed recently, you can inspect this with a little food coloring dye. Remove the lid from the tank and place a couple of drops of food coloring into the tank; wait a few minutes and if you notice the food coloring mixing with the water in the bowl then you will be able to determine that the seal for the tank has gone bad and will need to be replaced.
  • If you are looking to cut back on your household usage of water; open option is to consider purchasing a low flow showerhead. A low flow showerhead will reduce your water usage at home significantly; especially if you have a large family.

Tips for Drains

If you toss dirty dishes into a sink that does not have a garbage disposal before scraping excess food waste into the trash then you are putting yourself at risk with your plumbing eventually becoming clogged.  In order to keep a health plumbing system, you should never let left over food find its way into your plumbing system. You should also never dump left over oils, fats and grease into the kitchen drain. These oils, fats and grease as they cool from the cold water will harden on the inside of the walls of your plumbing; eventually making an almost impossible to breach clog within your plumbing system that will most definitely require professional plumbing in Houston, TX to resolve.

  • On a monthly basis you should pour at least one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar down your kitchen drain. Allow the concoction to sit for a while and do its job before you flush the sink with hot water for at least 15 seconds or more.
  • If you do have a garbage disposal in your sink, you should never place bones, celery, cherry pits, or other stringy material into the system. These types of organic materials can damage the blades to the disposal and clog the drain.
  • If you do not have strainers in the drains in your shower or sinks, consider purchasing a few to help prevent the possibility of unwanted material finding its way into your plumbing system that could potentially create a stubborn clog.

Toilets

After a heavy thunderstorm if you find that your toilet will not flush, you may very well have a cracked or even clogged sewer line. If you have a septic tank it could be inundated with waste water. Septic tanks should be professionally cleaned every 2 or 3 years on average. Additionally, you should flush products that promote beneficial bacteria to help break down human waste on a monthly basis if you have a septic tank.

Other Tips

You should familiarize yourself with the exact location of your main water shut off valve. This is typically located inside of your water meter. It will be invaluable in emergency situations such as overflowing toilets, pipe bursts and the like.  To ensure that the valve does not become ‘stuck’, you should turn it off and on once or twice per year and keep the inside of the meter clean from dirt, debris and any other vegetation so that you can easily access the valve.

About Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg offers professional plumbing in Houston, TX. We have on-call emergency plumbers twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and three hundred and sixty five days a year for your convenience. Our experienced and friendly expert’s with plumbing in Houston, TX provide on time plumbing related services to not only Houston but Katy, Rosenberg and Sugar Land Texas also. If you are in need of a professional plumber to make repairs, maintenance, or installation services then you need to look no further than Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg is a leading local plumbing company with high standards of service that you can rely on. When you contact us you can rest assured knowing that you are receiving the best plumbing services in the area. Our commitment to service and excellence is reflected in our rock solid A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. If you have a plumbing related problem in your home or business and you need help, do not hesitate to reach out to us today. One of our professional and friendly experts with plumbing in Houston, TX will be more than happy to answer any of your questions and schedule an appointment with you to assess the problem and resolve it at your earliest convenience. Give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg a call today if you are looking for professional plumbing in Houston, TX. If there’s any delay, it’s you we pay.