We asked our team of plumbers for some tips to share with homeowners. Hope this helps you avoid a plumbing problem!

1.

Know where your main shut off is before the emergency, because an emergency is going to happen at some point and being able to get to and turn off the water to your home fast can make a huge difference.

2. 

Never use a brick in your toilet tank as a water saver. The brick can disintegrate and break the fill and flush mechanisms in the tank.

3.

The BIGGEST No-No for your toilet?? “FLUSHABLE” Wipes – they actually don’t disintegrate and cause clogs all the time.

4.

That broken disposal? You might be able to fix it with out calling the plumber. Underneath the disposal there is usually a button or an inset for an allen wrench. Pressing this button or inserting and turning the allen wrench will free us a jammed disposal making it work again.

5.

Want another garbage disposal tip?? To get rid of any smell or to clean the disposal fill the disposal with lemons and ice.

6.

Winterize your outside faucet to avoid frozen pipes in the winter – take the hose off, turn off the shut off valve inside and open up the faucet to allow it to drain.

7.

Think your toilet is running? There is a simple way to find out – add a few drops of food coloring to the tank and wait 30 minutes. If you see color in the bowl you have a leak.

8.

Don’t use chemical drain cleaners down your drains. Any splash back could be extremely dangerous and can disintegrate pipes.

9.

Water pipes are never a good place to hang things – even something you think is light could be enough weight to cause a failure, break, or leak.

10.

Yes, Licensed and Insured Plumbers are going to be more expensive but this also gives the homeowner recourse if something isn’t done right. A homeowner can appeal to the city who issues the license and a properly insured contracted will be able to handle any problem that comes up on a job.