How to prevent laundry plumbing problems
One of a must have things in your home is a well functional laundry area. A complete clean and effective laundry area in your home not only gives you a peace of mind when doing your laundry chores, but also a humble time.
A laundry cycle consists of valves, complex system pipes and other mechanisms like the washing machines. If any of these has an issue, your day would likely go pear shaped very fast. They would bring your laundry tasks to a grinding halt.
What are some of the common laundry[T1] issues you should watch out for?
Flood and leaks in your laundryHave you ever arrived in your home and found a portion of it submerged in water? That is the worst feeling in the world. A flooded room not only ruins your day, but also your house- to be precise, it can damage your floorboards and carpets. It can also encourage growth of moulds in your house. The flooding can be caused by;
- Burst pipes- Burst pipes are mostly caused by tear and wear. The only way you can solve this is entirely replacing the pipes as there is no way you can fix them. Always ensure that you’ve a regular schedule of inspecting your plumbing system. This would ensure that any potential burst in the making is identified.
- Clogged drains – When water is run through a washing machine, needs to go somewhere- in the laundry drainage. However, if there is blockage in the drainage pipe, the dirty water would lack somewhere to go and goes back to the washing machine. This would cause a flooded laundry room and an overflowing of the machine.
To avoid this from happening, ensure that you check up for any small laundry items such as socks and handkerchiefs. They might have accidentally find their way into the drainage pipe hence causing clogs.
- Lack of enough water to do your laundry
Dirty clothes require a lot of water. However, if the water supply is not keeping up with your laundry demands, know that there is something wrong. When this happens, don’t concentrate mostly with the water supply pipe, but also check your washing machine. It might be having some issues.
The water that enters in your washing machine through the supply hoses pass through screens that filters out any dirty and debris before it contaminates your clothing. Sometimes the filter gets clogged and allow little amount of water to enter in your machine.
- Draining away of laundry water without washing anything
In a washing machine there are two major components- a water pump that removes dirty water and the water inlet which controls the level and pressure of water. If any of these components has issues, can cause water to pass through the washing machine without washing the clothes.
Also they can cause dropping of water pressure making what should be a jet of water become a trickle.
Ways of preventing laundry plumbing problems
Before you can realize that there is a plumbing issue in your laundry room, it could have caused significant problems. Therefore, you should be able to identify and prevent any plumbing issue to keep your laundry room dry and safe.
Below are 7 ways of identifying and preventing laundry plumbing problems. Practice them and your frequent laundry issues will be a foregone case.
- Inspect laundry sink
Where does your washing machine drain? Is it into your laundry sink? If yes, then it is of a lot of use. You should regularly inspect it for any cracks or leaks. Also ensure that you check the drain pipe often for any problem.
In case of any strange noise or leaks in the washing machine, assess the faucets. If you notice any issue with the faucet, consider replacing it rather than repairing. The noise indicates that you need to repair or replace the metal washer. If your sink drains slowly call a professional plumber to inspect it as it could be a sign of blockage of drains.
- Check the supply lines
One of the most common sites for plumbing issues and mishaps is the washing machine supply lines. Always ensure that you frequently inspect your washing machine lines. The regular inspection would help you avoid downright flooding or leaks.
For any signs of cracks, blisters, leaks, or bubbling check your supply lines at least twice a year. Pay more attention to the connections of both the washing machine and the faucet as well. The connection may require a complete replacement or tightening.
- Organize the placement of your laundry appliances
The way you organise your laundry room can help you avoid some plumbing issues. For instance your washing machine should always be placed a little away from the wall such that the lines of supply wouldn’t bend. Doing this, would prevent the lines from getting blocked.
Also, you should ensure that none of your appliances is close to each other and that your washing machine is on an even surface. This helps in preventing leaks and enhance optimal performance to your machines.
- Install a drain filter
If your washing machine drains directly into the drain or into the laundry sink you might want to use a drain filter to catch any debris, particles or lint which drains out with a washing water. Left unchecked, the particles builds up and clogs your laundry drain overtime.
To avoid drain blockage, ensure that you collect as much debris as possible before it enters the drain. Make sure you clean the filter often to remove the trapped debris. Some drain filters are designed inside the washing machine. If this is the case ensure that you check and empty it regularly.
- Check the laundry drains
Laundry drain blockages or damage can lead to major plumbing and flooding issues in your laundry room. This is the why a drain filter is a must have thing in your drains as it prevents the drain blockage.
In spite of installing the drain filter, ensure that your laundry drains are thoroughly inspected once in a while. This way, you will be able to spot issue before it gets out of hand. You should also never allow anything to go down the drain except for rinsing and washing water.
- Regular plumbing inspection
How often do you do a plumbing inspection in your home? An annual comprehensive plumbing inspection in your laundry room and home can help you identify any laundry plumbing problem early and safe you from dealing with disastrous complications.
Also, it would help you in reducing repair and maintenance costs and find more ways of saving energy and water cost.
- Replace the washers
When changing the washing machine’s supply lines, ensure that you also replace the metal washers. The washers wears out over time and are the major causes of strange noise and leaks in your laundry plumbing.
If you keenly passed through this article, I can bet that laundry plumbing issues in your home will be a forgone case. Ensure that you follow the above tips to keep your laundry room function optimally.
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