Plumbing. It’s not something you think about in your day-to-day life… until something goes wrong. Then, it can become your worst nightmare.

That’s why we at Barner Murphy believe people should have some basic knowledge about their plumbing. To that end, we’ve compiled a few plumbing tips you need to know to minimize stress and headache.

1. Know What You Can and Can’t Flush

The only thing you can safely put down your toilet is toilet paper. Don’t throw trash of any kind into your toilet. Even “flushable” wipes may not be good for your plumbing.

2. Avoid Using the Drain as a Garbage Can

Garbage disposals can’t handle things like bones, coffee grounds, grease/oil/fat, or large food debris. These can get stuck in blades or clog the pipes. Read your garbage disposal manufacturer's manual to know exactly what your drain can take.

3. Know Where Your Shutoff Valves Are Located

Any time you need to make plumbing repairs, you’ll want to turn off your water. Thus, you should know where your main shutoff valve is located. In some cases, it might be outside.

4. Get a Quality Plunger

A small investment in a quality plunger can go a long way in saving you money and stress with basic clogs in your toilets, drains, and sinks. Your plunger will help you dislodge these clogs and get back to normal with ease. They’re especially useful in minimizing messes when dealing with sink trap clogs.

5. Use the Vacuum for Hard Objects

Sometimes, a hard object — such as a toothbrush — finds its way into one of your plumbing fixtures. Plungers will worsen this issue by shoving the object deeper in. In this case, you’ll want to use a wet-dry vacuum to suck out the item.

6. Address Leaks ASAP

Drip, drip, drip. It’s more than a minor annoyance — it could be a substantial “drain” on your wallet. Studies have shown that those tiny drops coming from your leaky sink could waste up to eight gallons of water a day.

And it’s worse for toilets: a running toilet can run through 200 gallons of water a day!

And neither of these include potential future problems caused by leaks that’ll be much more costly.

Check for leaks regularly and fix them as soon as possible. If you aren’t comfortable doing so, call a plumbing professional.

7. Watch For Pipes When Doing Home Improvements

If you aren’t careful during a home improvement project, you might hammer a nail or drill a hole into your pipes. Before commencing any of these projects, determine if there are any pipes behind the areas on which you’ll work.

Running into plumbing problems in Bucks County, PA? Don’t hesitate to call Barner Murphy. Our professionals will work fast to identify and fix the problems so you can escape your plumbing nightmare and get back to normal life. Call us today!