Most homeowners make it a point to do minor repairs on their homes. When you are proud to own a home, you want to provide personalized attention. Naturally, you can also save money by taking care of minor home issues on your own. It's not enough, however, to address problems as they arise. To ensure that problems don't progress too far, there are steps you can take to ensure that your major home systems stay as healthy as possible. One potential trouble spot comes in the form of your plumbing system so read on to find out how to avoid more expensive problems later on.

The Kitchen Sink

If there was a contest to name the most common spot for clogs, the winner would be the kitchen sink. Residents tend to allow things to go down the sink drain that should be tossed in the trash. The problem, as you might have guessed, is food. It's all too easy to peel some potatoes or tomatoes near the sink and sweep those peelings into the sink. Under normal circumstances, those small pieces of vegetables might wash through the drains completely. Unfortunately, some drains are already partially clogged with another common food – grease. Potato peels and grease will cause a clog. Many people pour oil down the drain because it is in liquid form. If the temperature cools, however, that oil will form solid clogs. Mesh traps for your drain opening can prevent larger food particles from entering the drain. To deal with used vegetable oil, allow it to cool and return it to the original container for disposal in the trash.

The Garbage Disposal

If you go by the name, you could assume that anything goes with a garbage disposal. Unfortunately, garbage disposals don't do a good job of emaciating some particles of food properly and they are sent down the drain to cause problems. Be careful when placing vegetable and fruit seeds, nut particles, and other solid but tiny particles in your disposal. The grinding mechanism is not able to break those particles down enough to avoid clogs.

The Sewer Vents

Many homeowners are not aware of the location or the reason for sewer vents. These vents allow sewer gases from getting into your home by sending it up through your roof so they are normally placed near your bathrooms. When these vents are blocked, you will begin to notice the extremely unpleasant odor of sewer gas in your home. If you notice an odor, check to ensure that the vent is not blocked by a dead animal or other matter. Avoid using those vents for other purposes – such as using it as a conduit for wiring, antenna cables, cable TV cables, and more.

Speak to a professional plumbing service, like All Rooter Inc., to find out more ways to avoid any of the above and more.