Plumber Tips for Older Houses

While older homes have a charm of their own, homeowners must understand that there are far more plumbing maintenance chores and upgrades to carry out compared to newer residential properties. Either way, plumbing experts say that with good maintenance care and proper upgrades, plumbing systems in older and even vintage homes can work optimally. 

Older houses need special maintenance care when it comes to plumbing details.

To know the condition of the plumbing system in an older home, it is best to hire a licensed plumbing contractor In Escondido California who can carry out a home plumbing safety inspection. This is a thorough procedure that lets a plumbing professional personally assess the condition of all plumbing fixtures at home. Such an assessment gives way to appropriate recommendations on possible repairs, replacements, and upgrades needed to maintain a healthy plumbing system. 

Plumbing in Old Houses

Homes are considered older when they are constructed more than 20 years ago. While pipes and the rest of the plumbing fixtures at home are designed to last longer than 20 years, wear and tear, maintenance, and environmental conditions come into play and affect the integrity of the plumbing network. 

Every old house that still uses galvanized pipes should replace their pipes with PVC as these are not as prone to rusting, corrosion, and other issues that can cause a whole lot of maintenance trouble for homeowners. Replacing the entire piping network is expensive but it is worth it given the inconvenience and destruction a broken pipe can cause. For homeowners who may not have enough funds to finance a whole-house re-piping, they can start with just replacing all damaged pipes with newer PVC versions. 

Water Heater Issues in Older Homes

Older homes are also more prone to water heater issues. If the current water heater system was installed more than 15 years ago consider upgrading the water heater already. while water heaters can still function beyond its end of life stage, it is no longer as efficient as it is back when it was a bit newer. Moreover, it is more prone to damage and breakdowns, causing discomfort, inconvenience, and expense to homeowners.  

If the water heater was upgraded less than 12 years ago, then the homeowner should just have it maintained regularly by a licensed plumbing contractor.  

Plumbing mistakes first time homeowners should avoid

Owning a home for the first time may surprise property owners in a lot of ways. It means a good deal of maintenance, and it means caring for one’s own home and systems to ensure a convenient and hassle-free life.

Unfortunately, mistakes can be made along the way, and it is all part of the first-time experience of owning a residential property. Below are some of the common plumbing mistakes first-time homeowners make, and what should they do to deal with the issue. 

Here are some of the most common plumbing mistakes new homeowners make.

Failing to care for the drains

It is easy to use the drains carelessly. Abusing the garbage disposal unit, pouring used cooking oil down the drain, not setting up a hair trap in the tub and shower drain area are all recipes for drainage disasters. If a homeowner fails to care for his drainage system, then chances are it is one of the first plumbing problems that he will encounter during his first few years of homeownership. 

Resorting to DIY fixes like using over-the-counter drain-clearing chemicals is yet another common mistake of an amateur homeowner. These highly abrasive chemicals could corrode pipes, and cause leaks and even pipe bursts when used regularly. And while it may seem to work, the solution is relatively short-lived. Long-term and continued use of commercial drain cleaners could destroy the pipes, and at the same pose harm to the ecosystem. 

Homeowners should instead educate the whole household on the best ways to care for the drains. Refraining from pouring kitchen grease and abusing the garbage disposal unit could significantly help in avoiding drainage problems. And when there is a drainage problem, homeowners should instead try natural solutions first such as using a plunger or pouring boiling water and a bicarbonate soda and vinegar solution to see if the drains would clear. If it remains clogged up, the best option is to seek professional plumbing help.

Forgetting to winterize the plumbing system

Every homeowner should know how to prepare their pipes and plumbing fixtures for the winter season. If they fail to do so, pipes can freeze. Frozen pipes usually leak, or could even burst, causing more damage. Homeowners should refrain from fixing a frozen pipe by themselves as it could worsen the situation. Calling for a plumber will be the best way to remediate the situation. One of the plumbers that we recommend is https://www.plumbing-heating-air-experts.com/, they’re open all day 7 days a week. Call them if you have any questions about plumbing.  

Moving forward, homeowners should winterize their plumbing systems before the mercury drops below zero. For instance, he must insulate pipes that are exposed and outside the house. Those behind cabinets should be exposed to the warmth within the home. Open cabinets at night time so that the heated air could at least penetrate the insides of the cabinets where pipes are located. Homeowners should also let faucets trickle a bit whenever the temperature dips below freezing point. By doing this, water will move within the pipes and would not freeze altogether.  

Treating the toilet as a trash can

Misuse of the toilet could be one of the worst mistakes any new homeowner can make. When toilets get clogged, it could back up and could flood the bathroom or even a good portion of the house.

Homeowners should educate the whole household about the things they should not flush down the toilet so that they could avoid clogging. In essence, homeowners should remind everyone at home that only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed, other hygiene items and sanitary products should be disposed of properly in the trash can.