When it comes to the anatomy of your home, your plumbing is like your body’s veins — running your water in and out through every aspect so your home can function at its best. If you ignore any issues or the flow stops, you can be left with significant problems that disrupt the entire inner workings of your home.
From your laundry room to your kitchen — your plumbing care matters and if you’re in the San Diego area, the professionals at Anderson are always here to make sure the core of your home is working at it’s best. To understand how your plumbing works and to keep your system working at it’s best, here’s everything you want to consider, watch and care for before you’re facing a major plumbing disaster.
Preventing Backflow
You might be questioning just precisely what backflow is, and why you even need to be concerned with it… well, it’s exactly how it sounds. Backflow happens when water begins flowing backward through your pipes, potentially contaminating your drinking water. The most common connections can come from swimming pools, hot tubs, and lawn irrigation.
There are many ways your water can be contaminated, but with a backflow preventer you’ll never have to worry about fixing the issue or that you are putting your family at risk for potential contamination. With a long lifespan and little maintenance and testing, it’s a no-brainer that can give you and your family peace of mind. Our licensed plumbers can ensure you that your backflow regulator is installed to code.
Keeping Up With The Kitchen
When it comes to your plumbing, you often think of two essential rooms — your kitchen and your bathroom. These are the core parts of your plumbing and the most utilized ones in your home.
Common kitchen plumbing issues can include:
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Drain Clogs
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Garbage Disposal Issues
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Faucet Leaks
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Water Pressure Issues
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Dishwasher Leaks
By knowing what to put and what not to put down your drains, looking out for small leaks and fixing them before they get worse, and noticing any water pressure changes, you can prevent any major kitchen plumbing issues.
We know life gets busy, but looking for small signs and getting the little problems fixed will save you time and money in the long run.
Remember: Don’t abuse your garbage disposal by throwing everything down it. Make sure to avoid liquid drain cleaners, and don’t ignore moisture or leaks.
Back to The Bathroom Basics
Your bathroom does see a lot of traffic and if it’s out of commission, your life can be a real inconvenience. To ensure you don’t have to put an out of order sign in your home, remember to treat your toilet, tub and sink with care.
Some routine maintenance you want to follow is:
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Invest in a hair catcher for over the shower drain
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WDon’t flush anything but bodily waste and toilet paper
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Watch what hair and skin products you put down your bathroom sink
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Repair any toilet woes early
Yes, we know when it comes to your toilet the occasional clog can happen that can be easily fixed with a plunger. But if it’s something you feel like you are fixing weekly or more — the issue could be bigger than you think. To put the plunger to rest , it might be time to get that clog looked at by a true drain cleaning professional. Sometimes a plunger can be a quick fix — but the damage might just be getting worse or further down the sewer line. From a snake clearing to hydro jet cleaning to a camera inspection, we can help get your drains clog-free the right way for longer!
Don’t Forget The Sump Pump
Water runs downhill whether it’s during a rainstorm or if your neighbor accidentally leaves their sprinklers on overnight. If you live in a hillside home, chances are you have a sump pump to assist when water accumulates. If you are not sure if you have one or not, it might be time to make sure you do. From repairs to inspections, ensuring your sump pump is working correctly can save you from some major headaches.
Finding constant flooding in your downstairs area or basement? It could be time to stop the issue head-on with a proper sump pump installation. Removing excess standing water and bringing it outside can help you avoid major water damage, mold and more. Quick fixes to remove the water might seem like the cheaper option at the moment, but a sump pump is an investment you’ll never think twice about again.
Perfect Pipe Tips
Hissing, clinking, and squirting, oh my! All these little pipe problems could mean something more. Whether your pipes are old and need to be redone, or you’re noticing a difference in water pressure, it can never hurt to get a plumber’s opinion. If you have a slab foundation and you feel any hot spots in your floors or sudden wet spots that your furry friends didn’t cause; a pipe issue could be to blame, and it shouldn’t be ignored! It could be a slab leak, and if ignored for too long, it can become a big home issue that could mean major disruption to your home and costly unnecessary repairs.
Sometimes a simple fix might be all you need, but knowing the small signs and getting them taken care of ASAP is vital.
Improving Your Water
Your water quality can help you in so many ways: by using less bottled water, creating less water waste, and getting more efficiency out of your appliances. Poor water quality can cause a slew of issues many homeowners don’t know of. If you notice water spots on your dishes, your washer seems to need more and more detergent — this is usually caused by hard water. Not only that, filtered water will require less water to get a good clean, too!
If you are looking to conserve water throughout your home with every flush, and faucet turn-on, check out our Anderson’s Video Library for our Water Conservation Series.
What Else Does Hard Water Affect?
The build-up in your water can not only affect how your home is cleaned — it can also cause your appliances to work overtime, and in turn, shorten their lifespans. Not only that, it can affect the taste of your water, and leave you with tougher, drier hair and skin. By addressing your hard water issues and having this water conditioned and filtered, your appliances, body, and family will thank you!
Emergencies Do Happen
No matter how much you pay attention to the small things, and keep up with them; emergencies happen. When they do, we are available 24 hours a day to get you out of your plumbing disaster. From a burst pipe, blown water heater, or backup sewer line — we have you covered! (or we’ve got you covered!)
When it comes to your plumbing Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air is your best choice! If you’re faced with an emergency or are simply looking for a minor repair, contact us today at 866.374.0402 ! We are ready to wow you!