(NC)-Following another long Canadian winter, many homeowners are happily attacking spring cleaning tasks around the house. The cleaning doesn't have to stop at airing out the house, tidying up the ideas with Direct Energy, suggests devoting a little of your spring energy towards some preventative plumbing maintenance as well.
Give the drain a break
One of the simplest tasks is making sure your drains remain efficient and free of any clogs, and it only takes a few seconds. To purge unwanted build-up, pour a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar down your drains. Wait a minute or so and rinse the drain with two quarts of boiling water. Fast, effective AND environmentally friendly. This doesn't have to be a once a year exercise either, Dave suggests doing this on a monthly basis. Using a drain strainer in the bathroom sink and tub will keep debris like hair and soap from clogging the pipes.
Nip drips and leaks in taps and toilets
This is the time to start fresh if you have dripping taps, or a leaky toilet. According to Environment Canada, toilets and leaking taps are the largest water wasters in the home. One leaky tap could send several thousand litres of water down the drain in a year. But it's the toilet that ranks as the home's biggest water waster, with flushing accounting for 30 per cent of the daily home water usage. To test your toilet for leaks, drop some food colouring into the tank. If the colour seeps into the toilet bowl within 10 to 15 minutes, your toilet has a leak and it might be the time to upgrade to a low-flush model.
Everything but the kitchen sink
A common mistake many people make is disposing of grease in the sink or down the toilet. Once the grease cools, it hardens and clings to the inside of the drain pipe. Additional debris that sneaks down the drain will stick to the greasy walls, eventually building up and blocking the pipe. If you haven't already, start a new practice this spring and pour cooking grease into a heat-resistant container for storage and disposal, rather than dumping it down the drain.
Review garbage disposal practices
To ensure your garbage disposal unit continues to work at optimum level, review what should and shouldn't go down the drain. Putting the wrong items down can also lead to blocked drains and reduce the lifespan of the unit.
For more information on preventive plumbing practices, visit www.directenergy.com or call 1-888-334-8221.
- News Canada