One of the beauties of moving into a brand new home is the fact that everything is in pristine condition. Those newly built homes have everything brand new, nothing has been new, and there’s this “new home smell” that makes everything even better. Not everyone has the means or luxury to be able to afford a brand new home, so instead, a lot of homeowners will work towards making changes to their current home.
They may get new furniture, paint the walls, or even do a whole new layout for their home, but this is only aesthetics, not too much about how the home actually operates. Plumbing is one thing that often gets glossed over.
Sure, buying a new shower head or even getting a brand new bathtub can be incredible, but this doesn’t change the fact of how the plumbing is going to work. If you have low water pressure and you get a new faucet, you only fix the aesthetics and not the plumbing itself.
So, how can you make the plumbing in your home work as good as new? Fortunately, there are a few things you can do, so keep reading on to find out more!
Start Off with the Pipes
The last thing you’re going to want for your plumbing is having to deal with blockages. Old pipes bust; they can also rust, making the drinking water unsafe. Plus, all pipes in a home have a lifespan, and oftentimes homeowners will entirely skip, not bother, or don’t even know that their pipes will need to be replaced. In most modern homes, copper or PVC piping is used for water supply lines.
In older homes, metal pipe, such as cast iron and galvanized steel, is still in use. However, these pipes corrode over time and eventually block water flow or may pass lead into your home’s water. You can check for corroded or worn-out pipes by looking at exposed sections in places like basements, crawl spaces, and utility rooms. Look for discoloration, dimpling, or pimples that indicate corrosion.
You can also check the way your water flows with low pressure, a telltale sign that you have a problem. While it can be a major pain having to change out pipes, and it’s going to be expensive, too, you’ll be paying a much higher price year down the line if you skip out on this.
You Can’t Neglect the Drains
Not all sinks have a garbage disposal in them, the little blender that liquefies little pieces of food and other items that accidentally make it past the drain. While having one of these doesn’t immediately make your drain safe, it at least can help prevent some clogs.
Over time, even if it’s by accident, drains in sinks, baths, showers, and even the toilet can get clogged. If you try to fix them the DIY way, such as with strong chemicals, then you’re immediately at risk of destroying your pipes instead. Ideally, it’s best to see a drain repair specialist, especially if all of your drains are slow or even semi-slow.
Inspections are Always Your Best Bet
At the end of the day, you just need to get a professional like a plumber to help you out. While online tutorials can help, it’s still not going to be the same as getting an actual professional who knows exactly what they’re doing and what they’re talking about.
Got Something to Add?
Share your top plumbing tips with us in the comments below, although as always, with something like this we always recommend calling in the professionals.
Until next time, thanks for reading.
Helen, Nial, Lewis and Mason
Welcome to Pikalily, an award-winning food, travel and lifestyle blog. We are Nial and Helen, a happily married couple from Northern Ireland, who share a passion for food and travel among many things. We became parents to our beautiful boy Lewis in 2017. Follow our adventures through the blog.
