Of your entire plumbing system, it is the water pipes that can get damaged easily. Be it clogging or bursting due to freezing water, the list of problems with water pipes is endless. However, there are certain maintenance hacks that you can adopt to add to their durability. One of these things is cleaning the sediments from your water lines.
The water running into your house is never in its purest form. It's always laced with bits of dirt, soil, and clay. With time, these elements add up to form a thick layer that can harm your pipes and the appliances that the pipes are connected to. If you cannot afford to hire a professional every few months to clean your water lines that is perfectly fine.
Here is a detailed guide on how you can clean the sediments from your water lines yourself like a pro.
How To Get Rid Of Sediments From Your Water Pipes
Getting rid of sediments from your water pipes at a preliminary stage is pretty easy. Here is how you can do it:
1. Flushing Out Hot Water Pipes With Cold Water
One of the easiest ways to flush out sediments from hot water pipes is to run cold water through them. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can do it:
First, you need to shut off the water system and turn off the water heater for your own safety.
Next, you need to insert the water hose into the heater's drain and place the end of the force on the floor drain.
Make sure that the hot water valve and the cold water valve are turned off. Basically, it's the cold water valve that brings in cold water to the heater where it is heated. If you forget this step, the water will continue to flow in and out of the heater. This will not only disrupt the process but also lead to a huge water bill.
Once this is done, turn on a faucet to prevent a vacuum from forming in your pipes
Next, turn on the drain valve of the heater to flush out the sediments. The water should rush through the pipes for as long as it can. This will ensure that even the last inch of the sediment layer is gone.
.Before you start this process, it's also important to check if the water is flowing from the pipe down the drain. Without that, the entire process is useless.
Once this is done, you can remove the hose and turn the valves and the water heater back on.
2. Flushing Sediments Out Of Other Pipes
The previous step was to flush out sediments out of hot water pipes. But there are other pipes in your house as well. And they have equal chances of accumulating sediments. Cleaning these pipes is comparatively easier. All that you need to do is:
Turn 3 to 4 cold faucets on. Let the water run through it for at least 20 mins.
Make sure that during this process the water pressure is maximum. The high water pressure will ensure that all the sediments are flushed out of the pipes.
If you feel a few sediments are still left, you can repeat the same process after 30 minutes.
If you want to speed up the process, you should turn on the garden hose simultaneously at maximum speed.
How To Get Rid Of The Sediments From The Aerators Of The Faucets
The water pipes are not the only thing that needs to be cleaned. The aerators of the faucets are equally susceptible to getting sedimentary deposits. It's mainly the layer of mesh in the aerator that accumulates unwanted sediments.
Here are the steps to clean it:
First, you need to remove it from the faucets. To do that, you will need a wrench to unscrew it.
Once that’s done, wash the aerator with the water to remove every bit of sediment.
Then take it back on the faucet and screw it.
When you remove the aerator from the faucets, it is highly probable that the sediments accumulated in it break into the pipes. To ensure that no sediments remain, clean the supply pipes as well before attaching the aerator back to the faucet
To do so, run water at high pressure through these pipes without attaching the aerators. When you see that the water flowing out is clean, you can be assured that all the sediments have been removed. Next, you can attach the aerator back to the faucets just how it was.
Other Options To Prevent Excessive Sedimentation
Certain areas and the water therein are rich in sediment. And as you might have noticed, the process to clean the pipes and flush out sedimentation is pretty exhausting.
If you want to simplify the process, then you have two options:
1. Get A Whole House Filter
A whole house filter is an appliance that helps reduce the amount of sediments flowing into your pipes. With its built-in mesh that is capable of blocking literally any kind of sediments, it's a good solution to your excessive sedimentation issue.
2. Used Household Cleaners
Household cleaner, be it commercial or the homemade mix of vinegar and baking soda, speeds up the process of getting rid of sediments.
However, they are much less efficient than whole house filters and have to be used in the same manual process as it was mentioned above. The only benefit is that it increases the efficiency of the process.
Final Thoughts
While it's true that cleaning your pipes every now and then to keep them free from sediments is exhausting, it is also extremely important. Without regular maintenance and checkups, your pipes will lose their efficiency and durability. Then will then require frequent replacements that will cost a lot more. Also, since the water lines are connected to major water appliances, the presence of sediments can also affect their overall functioning and efficiency.
Not every plumbing issue is for you to solve. If you are looking for reliable plumbing experts, make sure you check out this site for expert advice.
