Most homeowners take their plumbing for granted. But as trained and licensed plumbers for more than a quarter of a century, we know you should never take your plumbing for granted. Doing so could cause harm to you, your family and your property.
So we’ve come up with a few safety tips to protect you and your property.
Set your water heater at a safe setting. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends setting your hot water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Temperatures higher than that can cause scalding and burns, especially in the elderly and children. Not sure how to do that? Looking up instructions in your owner’s manual (usually attached to a water heater in a plastic sleeve) can help. There are usually diagrams telling you what the various markings on your water heater dial mean. Many manuals are also available online.
Know where your main water shut-off valve is. We discussed this in a previous blog entry. It’s generally located in your basement or crawl space. You need to know where it is so you can shut off your water in the event of a burst pipe or other plumbing emergency.
Don’t put your hand in the garbage disposal. The only time it’s safe to do this is if you’ve unplugged the disposal or turned off the circuit breaker. Your owner’s manual will have instructions on how to fix a jammed garbage disposal.
Get your well water tested each year. You should get your well water tested each year to ensure there aren’t any contaminants that have leached into your well water system. Water quality tests screen for bacteria, heavy metals such as lead, chemical contaminants and more.
Play it safe with DIY repairs Think you can fix that leak or replace that faucet yourself? Play it safe and wear safety glasses, wear gloves and have a helper. You can play it really safe and call the plumber.
If you’re looking for local plumbers serving the greater Baltimore area, we can help. We’re licensed, bonded and insured, and offer same day service. Call Five Star Plumbing today at 410-836-0118 to schedule plumbing repairs or get a quote on a new installation. And remember, if you have several plumbing issues you’d like us to address, tell us when you call, so we can do everything during one service call.