How You Can Prevent Flood Damage, Leaks and Clogs

You rely on your home’s plumbing system to operate efficiently, but hidden issues can hide around every corner. Fortunately, you can prevent obstructions, leaks and water damage with a little routine care. Here’s how you can keep your plumbing in check and your worries at bay.

1. Know What Not to Put in the Drain

A lot of sinks in the kitchen may be fitted with a garbage disposal, but certain food items still rather than dumped into the drain, such as:

• Grease, oil and cooking fat
• Tough foods like corn cobs and stalks of celery
• Congealed food like cooked rice or coffee grounds
• Tough pieces of food like fruit pits and animal bones
• Anything that isn’t edible. Silverware and other small items can fall into the disposal and damage something when you turn it on.

2. Understand What Shouldn’t Be Flushed

Toilets are designed to dispose of human waste and toilet paper. Here’s what you should never flush:

• Baby wipes
• Paper towels
• Cotton balls and swabs
• Feminine hygiene products
• Baby diapers
• Dental floss
• Old medication

3. Use Drain Strainers

Another effective way to avoid clogging is to place mesh strainers over your laundry, kitchen and bathroom drains. They trap hair, pieces of soap, crusty toothpaste and other debris as water goes down the drain. Stick to a regular schedule when you clean these strainers to keep your drains flowing freely.

4. Know Where the Main Shutoff Valve Is Located

Being familiar with your plumbing system means knowing the location of your main water shutoff valve. This valve controls water coming into your home, so knowing where it is means you can turn it off quickly in a plumbing emergency. It’s also wise to turn off this valve before leaving town for an extended period. Common locations for the main shutoff valve include the basement, near the water heater, in a utility closet or outside the home under the ground.

5. Invest in a Sump Pump

Installing a sump pump helps prevent water damage, especially in climates prone to high annual rainfall. This device pumps out water that accumulates in its sump basin, usually found in the basement, and expels it away from the house. For homeowners who already have a sump pump, check it every now and then by dumping some water into the pit. If the pump activates and the pit drains, you’re all set. If it isn’t draining properly, you have time to call a professional to fix your sump pump before the next big storm.

6. Put in Flood Alarms

Similar to how smoke alarms are a big part of good fire safety, flood alarms help prevent water damage. These electric or battery-operated devices detect water at the earliest stages of flooding or leaks, sounding an alarm to inform you. For even more protection, add smart flood alarms into your home security system. This sends a notification on your phone if water has been detected, enabling you to resolve leaking pipes before it leads to significant damage.

7. Install a Backflow Valve

Experienced plumbers often suggest that homeowners set up a backflow valve in the basement floor drain to prevent sewage from flowing back into their homes after heavy rainfall. A professional plumber can set up this useful defense against sewage backflow.

Find and Prevent Leaks of All Sizes

Now that we’ve covered best practices and useful plumbing accessories, let’s review some preventive steps you can take to avoid leaks, or worse, burst pipes.

Most of your home plumbing system is out of sight, so water issues often go on for weeks until they are capable of significant water damage. Regularly checking for leaks can help you spot trouble before it gets worse. Here’s how:

• Check under the sink for signs of damp spots, wood decay or mold growth.
• Keep an eye out for slow leaks in the toilets by squeezing some drops of dye to the tank. If the color shows up in the bowl after 30 minutes without flushing, there is a leak.
• Check around and behind your plumbing appliances, including the dishwasher or washing machine, for signs of water damage or leaks.
• Schedule a water meter test.
  • First, shut off all water in your home via the home’s water main.
  • Then, head outside to check the water meter. Check one more time in two hours, being careful not to use any water before the second reading.
  • If the reading is different, there is a leak somewhere.

Do Everything You Can to Avoid Frozen Pipes

In colder climates, doing your part to protect your pipes is a good part of any plan to prevent freezing and bursting. Here are some professional recommendations:

• Cover pipes in the appropriate insulation in purely functional/utility spaces like the basement, garage or attic using insulating foam or heating tape.
• Remove garden hoses from the spigots attached to your plumbing all through the winter to stop ice from forming inside the pipes.
• Keep under-sink cabinet doors open during cold spells to keep warm air circulating around the pipes.

Work with a Reliable Plumber

While you can take all sorts of preventive steps on your own to stop clogs, leaks and damage from floods, it’s never a bad idea to have a professional touch to keep things flowing smoothly. That’s where can help. We are a network of plumbers serving U.S. homes from coast to coast with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied with your level of service after one year, we will do everything we can to make it right. This industry-leading dedication shows how we strive to make a meaningful difference in your life. For some of the best plumbing service that exceeds expectations, please contact us today