As a homeowner in Pittsburgh, maintaining your plumbing system is a vital part of protecting your home from costly repairs, water damage, and unnecessary headaches. Plumbing issues can quickly escalate, and what might seem like a minor problem—like a small leak or a slow drain—can quickly turn into an expensive emergency. Preventative maintenance and routine checks are the keys to avoiding these types of issues. With this in mind, here are 5 Essential Plumbing Tips for Homeowners in Pittsburgh to keep your system running smoothly and protect your home from costly plumbing disasters.

1. Regularly Check for Leaks and Drips

One of the simplest yet most important plumbing tasks you can perform is checking for leaks and drips throughout your home. Small leaks and drips can go unnoticed for months or even years, slowly driving up your water bill and causing damage to your property over time. Left unchecked, these leaks can lead to more serious issues, such as mold growth or structural damage to walls, ceilings, and floors.

Where to Check for Leaks:

• Under sinks: Check the pipes beneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks for signs of water stains, corrosion, or moisture.
• Around toilets: Inspect the base of your toilets for any water pooling around them, which can indicate a leaking wax seal.
• Around faucets: Look for drips around the handles or spouts of your faucets, as even a small drip can waste a significant amount of water over time.
• Water meter: You can also use your water meter to detect leaks. Turn off all the water in your home and then check the meter. If it’s still moving, you likely have a hidden leak.

Why This Is Important for Pittsburgh Homeowners:

In Pittsburgh’s climate, where winters can be harsh and cold, even small leaks can become big problems when freezing temperatures cause pipes to burst. Keeping an eye on your plumbing fixtures and addressing leaks immediately will not only save you money but also prevent extensive water damage in your home.

If you notice persistent leaks that you can’t fix on your own, don’t hesitate to contact a professional plumber like Taggart Plumbing. Their team can quickly locate and repair leaks, preventing costly damage and helping you avoid a major plumbing crisis. Additionally, if you experience issues with your water heater, Water Heater Repair may be necessary to ensure your system is functioning properly. Professional plumbers can diagnose and fix water heater issues, saving you from the inconvenience of a cold shower or high energy bills.

2. Avoid Flushing Non-Degradable Items

One of the most common plumbing problems that homeowners face is clogged drains, often caused by flushing inappropriate materials down toilets or drains. While toilets are designed to handle waste and toilet paper, many other items can cause significant blockages if flushed. This includes things like paper towels, wet wipes (even if labeled as “flushable”), sanitary products, and even cotton balls or swabs.

Why This Is a Major Issue:

Flushing non-degradable items can clog not only your toilet but also your sewer lines, leading to slow drains and potential backups. In Pittsburgh, where older homes often have aged and narrower pipes, non-degradable items can get caught in the system and cause problems over time. A simple clog can lead to expensive repairs and even sewage backups, which could be hazardous to your health and costly to fix.

What Should You Flush Instead?

• Only toilet paper: Stick to regular toilet paper, which is designed to break down quickly in water and won’t cause clogs.
• Dispose of other items properly: Instead of flushing non-degradable items, dispose of them in the trash. Always be mindful of what you’re putting down the toilet or sink.

By keeping this simple guideline in mind, you can protect your plumbing from unnecessary damage and avoid expensive repair bills in the future.

3. Use Drain Screens to Prevent Clogs

Clogged drains can be a frustrating and costly issue, and preventing them in the first place is the best way to avoid headaches and unnecessary plumbing repairs. Hair, soap scum, food particles, and grease can build up over time and cause slow drains or complete blockages. One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent these types of clogs is by using drain screens or strainers.

Why Drain Screens Are So Effective:

• Hair: In bathrooms, hair is one of the leading causes of drain clogs. A simple mesh screen over your shower or bathtub drain can catch hair before it enters the pipes and clogs the drain.
• Food Waste: In the kitchen, grease, food particles, and small scraps can accumulate in your sink drain. Using a screen or strainer in your kitchen sink will prevent these items from going down the drain and causing blockages.
• Grease: When cooking, it’s easy to accidentally pour grease or oil down the sink. This can harden in your pipes and cause a serious clog over time. A drain screen can help catch grease and food waste before they make their way into the plumbing system.

Additional Tips for Preventing Clogs:

• Regularly clean drain screens: Be sure to clean your drain screens or strainers regularly to remove hair, food particles, and other debris.
• Avoid pouring grease down drains: Instead, pour used cooking grease into a container and dispose of it in the trash.

By investing in simple tools like drain screens and making small changes to your daily habits, you can prevent many common clogs and keep your plumbing system running smoothly.

4. Insulate Exposed Pipes During Winter

In Pittsburgh, winters can be long and harsh, with temperatures often dipping well below freezing. One of the most common plumbing issues homeowners face in cold weather is frozen pipes. When water freezes inside your pipes, it expands, potentially causing the pipes to crack or burst. The resulting water damage can be expensive to repair, and the inconvenience of dealing with frozen or burst pipes is something no homeowner wants to experience.

How to Protect Your Pipes:

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas: Pipes in attics, basements, crawl spaces, and garages are particularly vulnerable to freezing. Use foam pipe insulation or heat tape to protect these pipes.
• Keep cabinet doors open: If you have pipes under sinks that are located against exterior walls, leave the cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes.
• Let faucets drip: On extremely cold nights, let a faucet drip slowly to keep the water moving and prevent it from freezing.

Why This Is Critical for Pittsburgh Homeowners:

In Pittsburgh, where winters can bring sub-zero temperatures, failing to insulate your pipes can result in costly damage to your plumbing system. By taking the time to properly insulate your pipes before winter hits, you can avoid the high costs of repairing burst pipes and the damage they cause to your home.

If you're not sure how to properly insulate your pipes, consider reaching out to Taggart Plumbing for professional advice and services. Their experienced plumbers can help you identify vulnerable pipes and ensure they are adequately protected for the winter months.

Additionally, during cold weather, your water heater can be at risk of freezing as well. If you notice your water heater isn't working properly in the winter, water heater repair may be needed to restore hot water service and prevent further damage.

5. Schedule Annual Inspections with Professionals Like Taggart Plumbing

One of the best ways to ensure your plumbing system stays in top condition is by scheduling annual inspections with a professional plumbing company. While regular maintenance and minor repairs can often be handled by homeowners, some plumbing issues are more complex and require the expertise of a trained professional. Scheduling an inspection once a year can help you identify potential problems before they become major issues.

Benefits of Regular Plumbing Inspections:

• Early Detection of Problems: A professional plumber can identify minor issues, such as leaks or wear on pipes, before they become major problems that require costly repairs.
• Improved Efficiency: Regular inspections can help ensure that your plumbing system is running efficiently, saving you money on water bills and preventing energy waste.
• Peace of Mind: Knowing that your plumbing system has been checked and is in good working order gives you peace of mind and allows you to focus on other aspects of home maintenance.

By scheduling an annual inspection with Taggart Plumbing, you can rest easy knowing that your plumbing system is in the hands of professionals who have the experience and tools to handle any issue that may arise.

Conclusion

By following these 5 Essential Plumbing Tips for Homeowners in Pittsburgh, you can prevent a wide range of plumbing problems and keep your home’s plumbing system in top condition. Regularly checking for leaks, avoiding non-degradable items, using drain screens, insulating pipes, and scheduling annual inspections with professionals like Taggart Plumbing will help ensure that your plumbing system operates smoothly, saving you time, money, and frustration.

If you ever encounter a plumbing issue that’s beyond your expertise, don’t hesitate to call a trusted professional. Taggart Plumbing offers expert services to homeowners throughout Pittsburgh, ensuring your plumbing is always in good hands. With a little attention and care, you can avoid costly repairs and keep your plumbing system running smoothly for years to come.