Money Saving Plumbing Tips

Indoor plumbing is a luxury that we all take for granted. That is, until the only toilet in the house stops working or we can’t take a shower. Then we begin to wish that we had taken better care of our plumbing systems.

Certainly, a home plumbing system is not high on the list of things that we enjoy spending our time or money on. But you will find that routinely spending a little bit of time and money on caring for your plumbing will prevent bigger problems down the road. Neglected plumbing can result in an extremely inconvenient, expensive disaster. Try out these tips to save money on your plumbing.

  • 1. First, address small problems as soon as they arise
    If your bathroom faucet is dripping, don’t ignore it for months. You can easily fix a leaky faucet on your own. If you don’t feel confident handling the job, call a plumber for assistance. Allowing the faucet to continue to drip all day and night will just run up your water bill.
  • 2. If you notice a drain that is getting clogged, clean it out right away
    Pull any excess hair out of the drain, and wipe out any grease. A great home remedy for clogged drains is baking soda and vinegar. Just pour a few tablespoons of baking soda into the drain, and flush with vinegar. The mixture will bubble up and flush out the gunk that is blocking your drain. Follow with cold water. This method is very inexpensive, easy, and safe for the environment and your family. Once the drain is clean, consider installing a drain filter to prevent clogs in the future.
  • 3. If you just don’t have the time or desire to perform maintenance on your plumbing system, think about hiring a plumber to do it for you
    If you sign a maintenance contract with a plumber, he will come to your home and check these items on a regular basis and make these minor repairs for you. While it is an investment in your home, the money spent on maintenance will prevent more expensive repairs later on.
  • 4. If you have recurrent problems with a particular plumbing fixture, it may be time to bite the bullet and replace that item
    While the initial expense might be daunting, it’s better to spend the money to replace a broken fixture than to continually spend time and money making repairs to a worn out piece. By switching out your old shower head for a new model, you can save on your water bill each month because the new shower heads use so much less water. Replacing a large item, like a hot water heater, can ultimately save you money because newer models are so much more energy efficient.
  • 5. When you do encounter a plumbing problem that will require the help of a professional, spend a little time shopping around
    The plumbing business is quite competitive. You can save a significant amount of money by shopping around and getting quotes from several different contractors before you have the work done.
  • 6. And finally, make sure you hire a plumber who works on flat rates rather than hourly ones
    This will ensure that you not only save money on getting the job done, but also that it gets done quickly and efficiently.

For help with all of your plumbing problems, call our experts at Scott English Plumbing. We offer water heater installation and maintenance, bathtub and shower installation, water softener service, backflow testing, and more. Call Scott English Plumbing today for fast, affordable service.