Two ways to prevent plumbing disasters

Problems with your home's plumbing system (such as leaks, burst pipes and blocked drains) can be stressful to deal with and expensive to fix. If they go undetected for too long, they can also cause major damage; even a tiny leak in a water pipe, for example, can result in damp and wood rot if it goes unrepaired for several months. As such, it's sensible to take precautions to prevent plumbing disasters. Read on to find out what these precautions are.

Act fast when it comes to removing blockages from your drains

It can be tempting to ignore a slow-draining sink or a toilet with unusually high water levels. However, these seemingly harmless issues are often a sign of a blockage in a plumbing pipe. If you choose to overlook these 'symptoms', the blockage will most likely expand, potentially to the point where it prevents any water from passing through the section of pipe where it is located. This, in turn, may leave you without a functioning sink or toilet.

It's also worth noting that a large blockage places a lot of pressure on a pipe. If the pipe in question has been weakened by corrosion or wear and tear, it's quite possible that this pressure will cause it to crack. This, in turn, could result in your home being flooded with dirty drain water. The damage caused by flooding can cost thousands of dollars to repair.

Given this, it's crucial to act fast if you notice that your drains are not performing as they normally do. If, for example, your kitchen or bathroom sinks are not draining as speedily as they used to in the past, insert a plunger or a drain snake down the affected drain to dislodge any blockages present in the pipes. If these tools are ineffective, contact a plumber immediately, as the sooner you have the problem dealt with, the less likely it is that it will do serious damage to your property.

Look after your roof plumbing

If a leak develops in your roof and goes unnoticed for too long, there's a good chance that it might end up causing structural problems. Moisture that seeps in through a roof is likely to fall onto the exposed parts of your home's timber framework; if this happens, the framework may develop wet rot, which will compromise its structural soundness. Mould is also likely to grow in these warm, moist areas; this could present a serious health risk to you and other household members, especially if any of you have respiratory disorders.

The best way to prevent these type of problems is to take good care of your roof plumbing. In practical terms, this means having the plumbing in this area (including the downpipes, gutters, claddings and flashings) inspected for signs of damage at least once a year and having any defects that are discovered dealt with as quickly as possible. Do not be tempted to try to save money by skipping this inspection, as ultimately, doing so could result in you incurring huge repair bills later down the line.

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