Prevention is always better than having to deal with a plumbing repair problem as it happens. If you can catch a plumbing issue early, you’ll be able to avoid both a costlier repair job down the road and major consequences that can lead to water damage in your house or vital fixtures (such as the toilet) no longer working.
It’s easy to say you should try to find plumbing problems as early as possible. It’s another thing to be able to do it! But that’s why you have professional plumbers like us around! Below are some tips for preventing plumbing troubles in Cincinnati, OH and throughout the Greater Cincinnati Area.
Keep a close watch on your water bills
When your water bill comes due each month, do you simply pay it without taking a closer look at it? Here’s the best place to start when it comes to plumbing problem prevention: a change in the water bills often warns of hidden leaking. Take a look over your past few months of water bills. Don’t look at the actual money amount, since that can change based on rates. Instead, look at the gallons per month used. This amount should remain stable during the year, with some seasonal increase. Get a good idea what your household gallon used per month amount is. When there’s a sudden jump in use, this often means leaking pipes that you can’t see. Call for leak detection services right away so we can attend to repairing the pipes before the leaking becomes worse.
Do a water meter check
Here’s an immediate way to learn if you have leaks somewhere in your home. Go to your water meter and write down the amount currently on it. Then go shut off all water-using appliances in the house and keep them off for an hour. Re-check the meter. Has the needle moved? Then you probably have leaks somewhere and it’s time for leak detection.
Use a water dye test with the toilet
Toilets that slowly leak water between the bowl and the tank are insidious water waste—and also very common. We recommend you occasionally use a water dye test to see if this is happening. Take a food coloring tablet and place it in the tank of the toilet. You can also use a few drops of food coloring. If the color from the dye enters the toilet bowl within half an hour, then there’s something wrong with the toilet that needs to be fixed.
Arrange for regular drain cleaning
Drain clogs are a plumbing trouble almost everyone has dealt with at one time or another. But they don’t have to be frequent! You can prevent the majority of drain clogs around your house thanks to routine drain cleaning services from professionals. You can always call on plumbers for drain cleaning when you have a clog. But when you have them take care of the job on an annual basis, you’ll have clean drainpipes that almost never give you trouble. This will also help the pipes to last longer and avoid trouble deeper down in the sewer line.
When you need plumbing services you can count on, look to Ken Neyer Plumbing, Inc.!