One of the must-have things in your home is a well functional laundry area. A clean and effective laundry area in your home not only gives you 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 Plumbing Issues you should Watch Out for?
01. Flood and Leaks in Your Laundry
Have you ever arrived in your home and found a portion of it submerged in water? That is the worst feeling ever. A flooded room ruins not only your day but also your house- to be precise; it can damage your floorboards and carpets. It can also encourage the growth of molds in your home. The primary cause of flooding in your laundry room includes;
a) Burst Pipes:
Burst pipes are mostly caused by tear and wear. The only way you can solve this is by entirely replacing the lines as there is no way you can fix them. Always ensure that you’ve got a regular schedule of inspecting your plumbing system. This would ensure that you identify any potential burst in the making.
b) Clogged Drains:
When water is run through a washing machine, it needs to go somewhere- in the laundry drainage. However, if there is a blockage in the drainage pipe, the dirty water would lack somewhere to go back to the washing machine. This would cause a flooded laundry room and an overflowing of the washing 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 found their way into the drainage pipe hence causing clogs.
Choke or clog in a plumbing line or a sewage pipe could be a serious problem for every home owner. Refer here for quick tips to clean clogged drain
02. 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 something is wrong. When this happens, don’t concentrate mostly on the water supply pipe but check your washing machine. It might also be having some issues.
The water that enters your washing machine through the supply hoses passes through screens that filter out any dirt and debris before it contaminates your clothing. Sometimes the filter gets clogged and allows little amounts of water to enter your machine.
03. Draining Away of Laundry Water Without Washing Anything
There are two primary components in a washing machine- a water pump that removes dirty water and the water inlet that controls the water level and pressure. If any of these components have issues, it can cause water to pass through the washing machine without washing them.
They can also cause drop of water pressure, making what should be a jet of water to become a trickle.
Ways of Preventing Laundry Plumbing Problems
Before you can realize that there is a plumbing issue inlaundry room, it could have caused significant problems. Therefore, you should be able to identify and prevent any plumbing issue from keeping your laundry room dry and safe.
Below are seven ways of identifying and preventing laundry plumbing problems. Practice them, and your frequent laundry issues will be a foregone case.
01. Inspect Laundry Sink
Where does your washing machine drain to? Is it into your laundry sink? If yes, then it is of a lot of use. It would help if you 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 it, consider replacing them rather than repairing it. The noise also indicates that you need to repair or replace the metal washer. And in that case you must opt for a reputed appliance repair service.
02. Check the Water 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 between both the washing machine and the faucet as well. The connection may require a complete replacement or tightening.
03. Organize the Placement of Pour Laundry Appliances
The way you organize 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 pipes from getting blocked.
You should also 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 enhances the optimal performance of your devices.
04. Install a Drain Filter
If your washing machine drains directly into the drain or the laundry sink, you might want to use a drain filter to catch any debris, particles, or lint drains out with washing water. If left unchecked, the particles would build up and clog your laundry drain overtime.
To avoid the drains’ blockage, always ensure that you collect debris before entering the drain using the drain filter. Also, clear the filters regularly. In case your drain is inside your washing machine, ensure that you empty it regularly.
05. Check the Laundry Drains
The primary cause of flooding and plumbing issues in your laundry room is the drain damage and blockages. Here is where now a drain filter comes in as it would help you prevent blockage of drains.
Also, inspecting your laundry drains once in a while would enable you to spot any issue before it gets out of hand.
06. Regular Plumbing Inspection
Do you have a regular plumbing inspection in your home? If yes is your answer, how often do you do it? Okay, an annual comprehensive plumbing inspection in your laundry room and home would help you notice any laundry plumbing issues before they go beyond repair or create an emergency. It will also help you to reduce maintenance and repair costs.
07. Replace the Tap Washers
Whenever changing the supply lines of the washing machine, ensure that you change the washers too. When washers wear out with time, they start making a strange noise and may also cause leaks in your laundry plumbing system.
Now that you’ve got all you need to know about preventing laundry plumbing problems in your laundry room, always ensure that it is optimally functioning. By doing so, you’ll be able to avoid significant laundry plumbing issues like flooding and blockages.
Gharpedia has written other articles on plumbing that you may like. Refer here for detail
Tips on Preventing an Emergency Before You Need To Call A Plumber
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Author Bio
Fidelis Kinai – Fidelis Muti possess a bachelor’s in English and Journalism and have over four years of professional experienced writing and proofreading materials for print and online platforms, including newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, and social media accounts. He also have over three years of experience as a marketing assistant and social media manager.
He is versatile and diligent and will produce exemplary content within time to meet your deadline.
He can deliver most work within 2-3 days; rush orders are accepted whenever possible. He is based in the Kenya but travel often and work for clients all over the world.
