Your toilet plumbing is an essential function of your home. It’s important to know how to maintain a toilet so you can enjoy its many advantages without issue. It’s easy to start neglecting routine plumbing maintenance, but if you follow some basic tips, you can defend against many problems. Follow these tips to see benefits like:
- Effective functioning: Being careful with what you flush and doing some basic cleaning can go a long way in helping your toilet plumbing function effectively. It’s one of those items in our home we often take for granted until it stops working. A few handy tips, and you can keep your plumbing thriving properly long into the future.Â
- Cost savings: Repairs and plumbing maintenance costs money. Taking care of your plumbing is an investment in your own home, and you can cut down on many costs just by following some actionable tips.
- Less repair time: Those plumbing repairs also take up a lot of time. You might have to take off work or sacrifice an activity to be home for the repair. Although some preventive maintenance might take a little bit of time, it’s still a lot less time than you would have to spend for a full-fledged repair.
There are a lot of advantages to maintaining your toilet plumbing. Here are some tips that can help you keep your plumbing in working order.
1. Only Flush What You Need ToÂ
One of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to toilet plumbing is flushing the wrong materials. In some households, a toilet can become a trash can, swallowing facial tissues, wet wipes and paper towels. Although it may be convenient to toss those miscellaneous items into the toilet, they wreak havoc on plumbing, clogging together and blocking pipes. Instead, install a separate trash can in your bathroom for trash and flush toilet paper only.Â
If you’re still experiencing clogging, you might want to check what kind of toilet paper you’re getting. Soft, plush toilet paper might be your favorite option, but it could be tougher to manage for your plumbing system.
2. Clean the Toilet Regularly
Some basic toilet cleaning will be extremely beneficial for your plumbing. Many people know they should clean, it’s just a matter of figuring out how you clean toilet plumbing without harming it. Be sure to clean your toilet regularly to promote hygiene and reduce the chance of buildup.
How Do You Clean Toilet Plumbing?Â
For a light external cleaning, use some soap to clean the bowl and the rim of your toilet. This will help you alleviate any clogs and can also alert you to any leaks. You can clean the bowl’s interior with a toilet brush and toilet cleaner.Â
For a deeper pipe cleaning, you’ll want to contact a professional service.Â
3. Use Soft Water
Another frequent issue that many people don’t think about is your home’s water hardness. Hard water contains loose sediment and over time, it can build up and start clogging your plumbing. The simple solution is to install a water softener to help the flow of your plumbing and cut down on clogs.
4. Replace Old PipesÂ
Though a lot of these toilet maintenance tips are preventive, sometimes your pipes might just be old. If you live in an older house, this very well could be your problem. Frequent leaks, corrosion and decreased water pressure are all signs you might need to invest in some new pipes. In some cases, you may not need to replace every plumbing pipe in your home — a few repairs and key replacements could do the trick. Contact a professional for further guidance.
5. Be Careful With Chemicals
You might be looking for ways to keep your toilet drain clear. Although it might seem like using strong cleaners would be beneficial, those harsh chemicals can damage your plumbing. They may work to fix a clog, but they can lead to pipe corrosion, creating cracks and leaks.Â
If you have a clog, try using a plunger first — this will usually fix the issue. If not, it’s best to consult a professional service to see what your next best course of action is.
6. Schedule Routine Maintenance
Preventive plumbing maintenance tips are effective if you follow them, but you should also schedule routine maintenance for your plumbing system. These routine checks will be very beneficial:
- Spot repairs early: One of the best aspects of scheduled routine maintenance is that you’ll catch repairs before they grow into something more significant. Instead of paying a large repair cost, those routine checkups will allow you to identify issues and make small repairs to prevent the big ones.
- Prevent damage: Routine maintenance prevents further damage to your plumbing. A professional service will be able to point out problems or make adjustments to keep your plumbing system thriving.
- Gain confidence in your plumbing: As a homeowner, there’s a lot to keep track of in your house. With some routine checkups on your plumbing, you can gain confidence in an essential function of your home.
7. Consult With a Professional ServiceÂ
It’s important to follow these tips to maintain your plumbing system. It’s a system you use every day and rely on constantly, so doing those little tasks every once in a while is a great use of your time. You’ll probably have lingering questions about how you maintain toilet pipes or various strategies for cleaning and unclogging. In all of those situations, it’s helpful to consult a professional service who can offer their expertise.
Contact Tom Drexler Plumbing, Air & Electric
Tom Drexler Plumbing is the professional service that can help you with your home’s plumbing system. Whether you need pipe repairs, unclogging or cleaning, we offer 24/7 emergency service to our customers. We’ve been providing excellent customer service and quality work since 1982 and we’re now one of the largest home service providers in the area.Â
Although we’ve grown throughout the years, we remain locally owned and operated and offer that same personal, fulfilling relationship with our customers. For a service you can trust, work with Tom Drexler Plumbing. Contact us today to request help with your plumbing concerns!
