2020
September
Avoid These Shower Habits to Improve Your Plumbing!

Avoid These Shower Habits to Improve Your Plumbing!

Sep 4


You need your shower to get going in the morning, or to wash off the grime after a hard day’s work. Many people use their shower every single day, making it one of our most essential plumbing appliances. However, you can end up putting a lot of unnecessary strain on your plumbing by simply not paying attention to how you are using your shower. Avoid these shower habits to improve your plumbing system, and remember that our expert plumbers at AAA Service Plumbing, Heating & Electric are here for all your bathroom and general plumbing needs.

The Top 5 Things You’re Doing in the Shower That are Hurting Your Plumbing System:

  1. Taking Long, Hot Showers: Everybody loves a relaxing, long, hot shower, right? However, taking advantage of this steamy environment should only be an occasional luxury. In addition to causing your skin, scalp, and hair to dry out faster, hot showers are also one of the main reasons mold starts to grow in your bathroom. The combination of humidity and moisture makes your shower the perfect place for mold to thrive. This is a problem, since excessive mold spores are not only extremely bad for your indoor air quality, but can also cost you a lot of money in expensive property repairs. And then there’s the strain constant hot showers put on your water heater. Save that long, luxurious shower for special occasions, make sure your bathroom is properly ventilated, and consider limiting your shower time to ten minutes at a lower temperature. Remember, if done consistently, this could help reduce your energy costs as well!
  2. Forgetting to Take Your Loofah Out of the Shower: How could something seemingly as simple as forgetting to take your loofah out of the shower affect your larger plumbing system? It all goes back to that pesky little thing mentioned above: mold. Every time you leave your loofah in the shower, you are inviting mold and bacteria to accumulate on it (and in turn, inviting that accumulation onto your skin, the next time you go to scrub yourself with it.) Instead, take your loofah out of the shower, dry it, and store it in a safe place when you are finished using it. We know this may sound like a lot of work, but it’s definitely better than the gross alternative.
  3. Letting Hair Accumulate in the Drain: Hair is one of the leading causes of plumbing clogs that come out of the bathroom. A blockage made of hair will cause your drains to run slowly and may even result in a back-up. Make sure you install a simple drain-stopper to prevent hair from going down your shower drain and creating nasty obstructions within your pipe.
  4. Leaving Pooling Water on the Floor: Pooling water is never a good thing. Excess water in your bathroom can damage grout, warp linoleum, and seep through the floor, causing severe damage for your plumbing system and larger property. And of course, there’s our old friend mold to consider, too. Put down a shower mat to prevent hazardous pools of water in your bathroom, and take care of leaks and other problems by investigating the source of that water ASAP
  5. Ignoring Hard Water: A lot of people assume the only problem with hard water is the minerally taste. However, hard water can have adverse effects in your shower as well, such as severe irritation for your skin and hair. Moreover, the sediment build-up that hard water leaves on your nozzles and showerhead can cause severe corrosion, and inside your pipes, hard water is likely to wear down the walls much faster. In your bathroom specifically, mineral build-up can combine with hair accumulation and soap scum to cause major problems for your plumbing lines. The good news is that you may be able to remove hard water stains with vinegar and hot water. And if that doesn’t do the trick, our plumbing pros can install a water softening system for you to help you get soft, great-tasting water throughout your house!

From your shower to your kitchen, AAA Service Plumbing, Heating & Electric is here for you. Call (303) 313-3333 to schedule an appointment, or click here to send us a message online.