We rarely spare any thought to our home plumbing system unless there is something wrong with it. We tend to ignore small problems like leaky faucets that might become bigger problems over time. The answer for an efficient plumbing system with prolonged life is preventative measures and regular maintenance.

You should take care not to cause blocked drains with bad habits such as throwing food scrapings into the kitchen sink, flushing away anything other than sewage and toilet paper in the toilet, putting away liquid grease into the sink and letting hair go down the bathroom drains. Make sure you clean the plate out of all the food leftovers before you place it in the sink. You can use a drain cover over the bathroom drains to catch the hair so that it will not go in. And it is never a good idea to flush diapers, paper towels, household cleaning agents and baby wipes down a toilet. Even though there are chemicals in the market as a solution to clogging, it is much better for your plumbing system if you simply go down to the hardware store and buy a drain snake.

If there is a leak whether in a faucet, pipe or shutoff valve, you should act immediately. Even if it’s a tiny leak, you will be losing water continuously through it causing your water bill to increase. Sometimes you may not even notice the leaks. Therefore, it is better to be vigilant and inspect faucets and toilets for leaking on a regular basis. Once you notice a problem, you can use the shutoff valve to stop water to that fixture or area of the house and then call a professional plumber in Kalamunda to repair it.

Septic tanks are prone to problems as well. Therefore, you should get it pumped out every 3 to five years to ensure it’s in proper working order. It is good to have a basic understanding of the plumbing system in your house so that you know what to do when something happens. Be in possession of common knowledge such as the location of the main shutoff valve.

You should also know how to repair small problems. Keep some handy tools nearby such as a plunger, drain snake and a pipe wrench. This will help you attend to problems such as stuck shutoff valves and clogged drains. You will also find a lot of information online regarding plumbing maintenance. But you should know how to identify a small problem from a larger, more severe issue. It is never wise to try repairing a large problem by yourself as you might worsen the situation.