Many of us are programmed in such a way that if we see something disappear, we believe it is gone for good. This type of thinking is especially harmful when it comes to our plumbing. Not everything is designed to go down the drain; pouring the wrong materials into kitchen sinks and other sinks in your house will eventually mean that you have big problems with your pipes that will cost a lot of money and time in order to fix. There are a lot of materials that if poured down the drain will accumulate, clogging the pipes, and some that will even corrode the joints and cause leaks and severe damage. Here is a list of the most common things that people dump into their sinks that can cause a lot of damage.

The most common item in this case is grease. Grease is liquid and it seems like it is natural for it to go down the drain, but remember it is only liquid because it is hot. As soon as grease cools down, it will begin to form into a solid, and eventually will become very solid. It will sit in your pipe and catch other matter, and eventually it will plug up the system. In the meantime, it might also start to smell really bad. Running hot water as you pour the grease down the drain will not help. The best way to get rid of grease is to put it into a container to harden and then throw it into the trash.

Bits of food are another item that make their way into the plumbing. Food should not be put down the drain unless you have a proper garbage disposal. Invest in some food catchers to put in the drain in order to catch the bits of pasta and vegetable that slip through the colander.

Hair always seems to make its way past the plug, in kitchen sinks and in bathtubs. Hair is very difficult to get out of piping once it gets in, and even worse it will catch other items and form one big mess. Keep hair from going into the pipes by buying hair catchers for all of your bathtub and shower drains. These need to be cleaned frequently, but it is better than paying the price for new piping.

Many people pour used materials such as motor oil, pesticides, and leftover moisturizers down their sinks. All of these are highly corrosive and will cause long term damage to pipes. Dispose of them in the manner recommended on the packaging, as to ignore this advice will not only cause significant damage to your house but to the environment as well.

A stitch in time saves nine, and the simple fact is that by being aware and taking care of materials properly, you will save yourself a lot of money in terms of plumbing later on. Don’t be fooled by the disappearance of items down the drain; it never just goes away!

Plumbing is part of many remodeling projects, whether the plan is to install a small clean-up sink in a garage or the project is a bathroom addition or a complete kitchen or bathroom remodel. Whether you are doing the remodel yourself or you are hiring a contractor, you will need to make some decisions about pipes. If you have a contractor, s/he will be able to guide you in choosing the most appropriate pipe for your project.

There are many types of pipe, and some are more appropriate for specific jobs than others. To help you with the decisions, here is an overview of the main types of pipe used in residential remodeling.

Plastic Pipe

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) can be used only for cold water. PVC is most often used to carry water from the main supply to a home. If you decide to use PVC, be sure that the pipe you choose is approved for drinking water.

ABS (acrylonitrite-butadiene-styrene) is use for waste removal, drain and venting, primarily in bathrooms. It is a rigid plastic pipe that can be connected to several kinds of metal pipe. If you are considering this kind of pipe, you will need to check with your contractor or your local building codes office because ABS is not permitted in some localities.

PEX can be used to carry both hot and cold water. It is often used for interior water pipes in residential plumbing.

CPVC (chlorine-polyvinyl-chloride) is generally used to carry hot water, and is often used as a substitute for copper pipe.

Metal Pipe

Cast Iron is used in some parts of the country for drainage. It is very strong and very durable. The challenge in using cast iron is that it is hard to cut and it is very heavy. If your project involves replacing cast iron pipe, a good choice is PVC because it can be joined with cast iron.

Copper is a good choice for both hot and cold water supply lines, and is very corrosion-resistant. It is light and durable, but costs more. If you are replacing copper pipe, a good choice is CPVC.

Galvanized steel is not used much today because it will corrode over time and because it is hard to work with. It was used in the past for water supply lines.

If you are doing the plumbing work yourself, you might want to use plastic pipe because it is easier to work with. The key to using plastic pipe, which is also less expensive, is to wrap plastic pipes tightly to prevent the escape of noise because plastic pipe can be very noisy.

With this information, you should be able to make some informed choices about the type of pipe best suited for your specific project needs.