Tips to Avoid Common Pipe Problems

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We’ve all heard the horror stories of winter vacationers coming home to a flooded basement! Pipe bursts are just one of the many common pipe problems that Maui homeowners may experience. However, many such costly snafus can easily be avoided with a little knowledge and a little bit of regular maintenance. Here are some tips on how you can keep your pipes flowing smoothly.

Toilet Trouble

Too much toilet paper and not enough flushing can easily clog a toilet’s pipes. Of course, flushing foreign objects will also have the same effect! If you have very small children, you’ll need to be extra vigilant when they use the facilities. Teach them the proper amount of toilet paper to use and explain what will happen if they don’t comply. The toilet is for one thing and one thing only: it is not a toy.

Clogs in the Kitchen

Fats are your kitchen pipes’ worst enemy. The curved shape of the pipes under your sink make them especially susceptible to the buildup of fatty materials; if you are cooking in the winter months when outside temperatures are frigid, the problem is compounded. Always use strainers in your sinks and make it a rule to never, ever dispose of cooking grease and oils via the drain. No matter how vigilant you are, however, there will always be a certain amount of greasy soapy residue in the pipes: run hot water for five minutes down the drains periodically, and your pipes should be just fine and your sink back-up free.

Clogs in the Bathtub

Hair and soap will clog up the bathtub and sink pipes fairly quickly: the best trick is to prevent their accumulation in the first place. Use a strainer over your bathtub drain, and clean it every time the tub is used. Take the time to pour boiling water down both the sink and tub drains once a month to prevent problems further down in the pipes. Avoid chemical solutions since they can damage pipes.

Bursting Pipes

First, identify which pipes are most likely to freeze: chances are they will be the ones that run along exterior walls on a side of the house that gets little winter sun. Use pipe insulators if possible to avoid freezing, or install electric heating tape. If for some reason, you cannot reach these pipes, you may wish to leave your sink water dripping on especially cold nights. If you leave on vacation, simply turn off your main water valve.

Many pipe problems can be prevented in the first place if you practice just a little prevention. Serious plumbing problems should be solved by a professional Maui plumber.

So if you are looking for a professional plumber in Maui, then please call us at 808-563-4054 or complete our online request form.

What Our Clients Say

Matt was very professional and considerate as we are in a COVID world. May not necessarily be the cheapest but you are paying for the quality, peace of mind, and quick response time to my urgent matter. I will definitely call them again for my next plumbing issue.

-Elias S.

If you have any plumbing needs this is the company to use. They said they would be there at 9:30 and by gosh, they showed up at 9:28 that not a normal thing when it comes to plumbing. Both of them were not they answered all my questions without hesitation and got the job done within 45 minutes even though they said it would take an hour and a half.

-Bob J.

Brayden and Maka worked on a major repair at our home over a time period of four days. We have high praise for both of them, their professionalism, courtesy, friendliness, and reliability. Steve’s Plumbing is lucky to have these two fine employees.

-Ulrich

Shon Bolo was very courteous. He was very informative about how Plumbing is just as important as the engine of a car. He was very respectful. Even though I wasn’t able to get everything done as expected. Shon was able to install my laundry tub to get my washer ready to drain and connected. Definitely would recommend shon bolo to friends and neighbors. Thank you very much for the wonderful job. Great service Shon!!

-Rowena H.

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