5 Ways To Prevent Plumbing Problems

You can prevent plumbing problems - a clogged drain, leaky faucets, and more - from becoming plumbing nightmares. A little preventive plumbing now can stop small plumbing problems from becoming big, expensive fixes later.

Here are 5 ways to keep the plumber away and your fix-it jobs to a minimum.

Never pour cooking grease into drains - it stops them up as it cools and hardens. And a clogged drain is an expensive repair fix you can probably do without. Here's how to fix a backed-up sink yourself. Instead, chill it in an empty milk or juice carton in the refrigerator and dispose of it in the regular garbage.

Maintain your garbage disposal to prevent it from becoming clogged or overworked, leading to an early (and expensive) replacement.

Use inexpensive drain screens (made of either plastic or metal) in the kitchen sink, the bathtub, and the shower to prevent food particles, hair, or small items like jewelry and toothpaste caps from entering the drain. They can be placed over bathroom sink drains, right over the built-in stoppers.

These screens will catch and hold hair, soap slivers, and other potential drain cloggers and make it easy for you to lift out the obstructions and toss them in the trash before they cause costly plumbing backups.

To help washing machines operate better and last longer, install inexpensive hose screens on the hot and cold water hoses to keep sediment from clogging the washing machine's pumps and valves. Check screens once or twice a year and replace them both if they are full of sediment or debris.