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Here’s something that might surprise you: your plumber would much rather not have to see homeowners in Normal, IL have to suffer through the problems that come with a plumbing disaster. We’re always happy to help our friends and neighbors fix plumbing problems, but we know that they can be a real headache and would rather help them keep the most avoidable issues from ever happening.
Calling a plumber is inevitable during your time in your current house, but it doesn’t have to happen as often as it seems. When homeowners make smart decisions around the house and take care of their plumbing system, it’s possible to minimize the number of house visits that you’ll need to have a plumbing expert make.
If you’re following these tips, you’ll still need to have a good plumber’s contact information ready to go in case the unforeseen occurs, but you likely won’t need to have them on speed dial. Here are a few things your plumbing professionals wish you knew!
Stay Away from Corrosive Cleaners
The presence of Drano and Liquid Plumr on store shelves is an irritant for many plumbing experts because these chemicals actually cause a lot more problems than they solve. When you pour one of these down your drain, you either get the clog cleared with one shot, or you make the situation so much worse because you’ve created a biohazard.
The problems don’t stop there. When corrosive cleaners don’t work and end up sitting in your pipes, they can start to eat away at older metal pipes and weaken their structure, making leaks much more likely. If you’ve got PVC pipes, there’s still a real risk here, because these cleaners can eat away at the glue that holds your pipes together, which can cause a disconnection.
Your best bet with these cleaners is to just stay away from them unless you’ve received clearance to use them from a plumbing professional that you trust. Instead of trying to fix things on your own, make the smart decision and call for help right away.
There’s No Shame in Needing Help
Imagine you’re sitting at your office and someone from off the street comes in and tells you that they’ve seen a few tips on how to do your job on YouTube and they think they could do it just as well as you could based off the videos. Chances are, you’d think that person was off their rocker and would likely be in over their head quickly. Yet when it comes to plumbing work, many people think that they can DIY the task, based simply on watching a few videos.
But here’s the reality: a plumber trains just as long and hard to learn their job as anyone else in the professional world in Normal, IL, and a professional plumbing expert will have access to both tools and experience that the average person simply doesn’t have. Not only does a plumbing professional know what to do in almost any plumbing situation based on experience, but they’ve got all the tools needed for the job in their truck or at their office, which cuts down substantially on the time needed for repairs. As we all know, when it comes to plumbing and repairs, time is of the essence!
When it comes to the plumbing in your home, don’t wait around trying to fix the issue yourself. Make sure to call for a plumber to visit as soon as you figure out that something isn’t right.
Use the Right Plunger for Each Job
Plungers are not designed to clear all clogs in all situations. A flat plunger, for example, is designed for your sink and only for your sink. Toilets use a different plunger, and trying to use the wrong one for the job can lead to the clog staying right where it is instead of clearing through your pipes and allowing you to get back to using your plumbing system properly.
If a plumber is needed to clear a clog out when a plunger won’t do the job at your home, that’s perfectly fine, but using the right plunger can make a world of difference when it comes to deciding if you really do need a plumbing expert to clear things away. Before you call for help, make sure that you’re using the right plunger for the task at hand; sometimes clearing a clog is as simple as that.
Don’t Flush Certain Items
Without question, one of the most difficult parts of a plumber’s job is because of things that were improperly flushed, many of which have no business being anywhere near the toilet. You’d be surprised at how many things a plumbing professional has to pull out of the pipes simply because the homeowner thought that flushing them would work to get rid of them or because a child decided to flush something that didn’t belong in the toilet.
Kids’ mistakes will happen, but there’s no reason for adults to flush things that naturally expand in water, such as menstrual pads or diapers. Grease, hair and flushable wipes are just a few examples of other products that can jam up your pipes and cause a completely preventable clog that requires a plumber to come to your home to fix. In fact, the only things that should ever go down your toilet are toilet paper and human body waste, because these are the only things that the toilet is made to break down. If it doesn’t fall into this category, don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket.
Regardless of whether a plumbing issue is a freak accident or an issue caused by a homeowner’s mistake, Covenant Plumbing is here to provide expert service and full repairs to your Normal, IL home’s plumbing system. If you’re in need of a plumber in the Bloomington-Normal area, contact our team for assistance; we’ll take care of the problem and get water flowing the way it should again!
