A home’s plumbing system is built to last, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to everything. Here are some bad habits you might be doing that are damaging your pipes and plumbing.

Relying on Drain Cleaners

When you’ve got a stubborn clogged drain on your hands, it can be easy to reach for the drain cleaner. But it’s better to resist the temptation, as drain cleaners can do more harm than good to your home plumbing.

Drain cleaners contain powerful chemicals that release heat and gas to dissolve the blockage until it’s gone. Unfortunately, that’s not all they do. These chemicals usually won’t stop at the blockage and will begin to corrode the walls of the inner pipes. No matter what material your pipes are made of, they’re not immune to these strong chemicals. This makes your pipes more vulnerable to cracks.

Instead of these harsh cleaners, try a plunger or other manual method to remove a clog. If you need something more powerful, look for biological drain cleaners, which use enzymes and bacteria to organically dissolve the blockage. These types of cleaners won’t harm your pipes.

Not Cleaning Hair from Drains

Hair going down the drain may not seem like a major problem, but you’d be surprised at what can happen when hair accumulates. Whether you’re shaving or washing your hair, you are washing hair fibers down the drain. Those hairs cling to soap scum inside your drains, accumulating over time and inevitably causing a clog that can damage your pipes.

To avoid washing hair down the drain, use a mesh drain screen that traps fibers to ensure proper disposal. Your pipes will thank you.

Force Flushing Foreign Objects

One of the biggest bad habits that damage your home plumbing? Treating your toilet like a trash can. As a general rule, it’s best to not flush anything other than toilet paper down your toilet.

Baby wipes, kitty litter, feminine hygiene products, and even flushable wipes shouldn’t go down your toilet as they don’t dissolve in water the same as toilet paper. Yes, even if a product says it’s “flushable,” many of these products can become problems for your home’s plumbing. Don’t take the chance of causing a bad blockage somewhere in your sewer line. Refrain from flushing any items that aren’t toilet paper down your toilet.

Pouring Grease Down the Drain

After cooking some crispy bacon, the worst thing you could do to your pipes is pouring the grease down the drain. Greasy foods, bacon grease, and other fats and oils create a film over the blades, making them dull and ineffective. But that’s just the beginning. When you pour fats and oils down your kitchen sink, they’re usually pretty hot. As they cool in the disposal and pipes, they will solidify, building up over time and causing clogs and unpleasant odors in your kitchen.

Instead of pouring grease or oil down your drain and setting yourself up for future plumbing problems, pour grease and oil into an old cleaned-out jar or can. Once it fills up, you can toss it in your trash.

Thinking You Can Handle Big Plumbing Jobs

We know hiring a plumber isn’t always cheap, but that doesn’t mean you should tackle big plumbing jobs on your own. While tutorials online may make the job look easy, unless you were a plumbing professional at some point in your life, it can be hard to separate the good advice from the bad advice or the correct advice from the incorrect advice. Attempting difficult jobs can open up the door for injury or big mistakes. And if you make a mistake, you’ll have to call in a professional to fix it, meaning you’ll be spending more money on a more costly repair.

Before you embark on a misguided DIY project, get quotes from a few local plumbers, then hire one to help you solve your plumbing problem.

Overlooking the Importance of Plumbing Maintenance

Your home’s plumbing can be sneaky because even if there are no visible issues, there still can be something wrong. You can’t always judge how your home’s plumbing is doing from what you can see. So the importance of plumbing care and maintenance is essential.

If you notice a tiny leak, don’t wait to get it fixed, as it could be an indication of a bigger problem that could raise your water bill. Issues like this can also blow up at any time, and you won’t know how much damage it can cause. Scheduling repairs as soon as possible and getting maintenance done regularly will help ensure there are no issues with your plumbing.

Phillips Plumbing Solutions is Here for Your Home Plumbing

Bad habits are hard to break, but breaking these habits will be in the best interest of your home plumbing. If these habits have left you dealing with a clog, broken garbage disposal, or leak, no need to worry – just give us a call. With over 25 years of plumbing experience, Phillips Plumbing Solutions offer a wide range of residential plumbing services to meet your home’s needs. We are located in Queen Creek, Arizona, and serve our neighbors across the East Valley. Let us provide the quality plumbing services you deserve.