If you are a homeowner, then you know the importance of the investment you have made in your home.

And, not just the investment of money but, also of time and memories. It is important to keep the systems of your home kept up so that the value of your home stays intact.

There are many ways to do this but, one of the most important ways is prevention. Simply to prevent any problems from coming up in the first place.

This could not be more important than it is in your plumbing system. In fact, there are some very specific ways that you may be inadvertently causing harm to your plumbing system.

Here are some guidelines for things that you should NEVER do to your plumbing system:

• Never run cable lines or extension cords through the vent pipes on your roof. While this might seem like an easy way to get electricity or cable into your home – those drain pipes are designed to vent sewer gases. If you puncture or cut a hole in the vent so you can put an extension cord through – you will be allowing sewer gases into your home.
• Never pour drain cleaner down your drains repeatedly. These products are very seductive with their marketing for a one and done solutions to all of your clogs. But, they are also very caustic and corrosive, which means they can cause your pipes and fittings to break down and begin leaking.
• Never pour things like bleach or antibacterial soaps into your septic tank. These items will quickly disrupt the enzymatic environment in the tank, which will limit the amount of natural breakdown that happens of solids in the tank. The result will be clogs in your drain field, while will then flood into your yard. It’s just a bad scenario all around.
• Never cut into a wall inside of your home, unless you know what is in there. You could easily cut right into your plumbing pipe, which will lead to water damage in the wall of your home. Wet sheetrock quickly breeds mold and mildew and, attracts pests.

Keep your plumbing system working properly and protected by following these simple guidelines for what not to do. It is also important that you avoid pouring grease down the kitchen drain and flushing non-flushable paper products down the toilet.