Even if your plumbing is designed to be functional for many years, it can sometimes fail and the worst part is that you can be the cause. Most homeowners aren't concerned about their plumbing's condition because they assume it's fairly stable at all times. Of course, a lot of things can lead to a dysfunctional plumbing system, but your actions and practices can be the main cause. If you want your plumbing to be functional for many years, you need to develop some good maintenance practices and habits, and here are a few of them.

Use the Bathtub Drain Correctly

Plumbing is among the complex systems you can have in your home. However, it's also a bit more fragile and demands a lot of care and attention. It's comprised of several parts like the bathtub drain, which you shouldn't use for everything. For instance, grease, chemicals, oil, sugary beverages, and cleaners shouldn't be disposed of through this drain because they will cause more grievous plumbing issues. Where possible, use the bathtub drain for things that won't harm it such as bathwater, shampoo, or even body wash.

Identify What You Shouldn't Flush

Some of the things you flush down the drain can ruin your plumbing system. Before you flush anything down the drain, you need to find out whether it's flushable or among the things you shouldn't flush down the toilet. When you flush what you shouldn't flush, it will get stuck somewhere in your sewer line. 

And if you do it quite often, the drainage line will be clogged—an ordeal you won't want to experience. Let your kids know what they should and shouldn't flush down the drain because it's among the best practices for anyone who wants to maintain a stable plumbing system. Kids at times flush down keys, kitty litter, toys, chewing gums, hermit crabs, and other non-flushable items just to have fun. And as they do so, your plumbing suffers the consequences.

Don't Assume Your Garbage Disposal Is a Garbage Bin

When you use your garbage disposal wrongly, you risk facing serious and expensive plumbing problems. Some people assume that they can put all their food items in the garbage disposal but that's not the way to go. As a homeowner, you need to know that the appliance can't handle some items. So when you put items like eggshells, fruit pits, bones, or even fibrous vegetation in the garbage disposal, you use it as a garbage bin and this is an unacceptable practice. These items will slowly damage some of the disposal's parts and eventually cause serious plumbing problems.

Installing top-quality plumbing pipes and fixtures is an excellent idea, but that's not all you have to do. How you handle the system also determines how efficient, stable, and durable it will be. For more information, contact local plumbing contractors.