A new year is a new start. A new chance to refocus, refigure, and replan. An opportunity to think about what you want to prioritize for the months ahead. Some people focus on their health, their finances, or their hobbies.

Some people even focus on how they can better take care of their home’s plumbing. If you want to make your plumbing more effective this new year, here are five resolutions that will help you get started:

Resolution #1: Pay attention to what you put down your drains.

Long story short: you should only put liquids down the drain. By liquids, we mean water and water-like substances. What we don’t mean is hot grease. Avoid putting paper towels, food waste, rice, cereal, cotton balls, q-tips, toys, or goldfish down your drains, too.

Your pipes are sensitive. If they’re not treated with consideration, won’t last as long as they should. Worse, you’ll need to clean it out far more often than you should.

Resolution #2: Waste less water.

Wasting less water is a respectable resolution for anyone. It’s also surprisingly easy, and it requires less than you might think. You can start with small steps. Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers. Use car washes that recycle water.

To take your 2019 water conservation to the next level, consider investing in WaterSense appliances and fixtures. WaterSense appliances use 20% or so less water than comparable styles.

Resolution #3: Invest in some preventative maintenance.

Having a plumber come in at least once a year to inspect your plumbing is a great resolution. You’ll be able to spot small problems before they become large and potentially expensive.

These maintenance appointments also give you an opportunity to learn about how to better care for your plumbing. Just ask your expert maintenance technician any questions you may have while they’re inspecting your plumbing.

Resolution #4: Don’t treat your toilet like a garbage can.

Toilets aren’t garbage cans. You can’t use them to flush whatever you want. Don’t flush things like q-tips, baby wipes (even the “flushable” ones), old medications, or hair down the toilet.

Each of these materials commonly cause toilet clogs. You can avoid these common clogs by simply tossing materials out somewhere else instead. It sounds simple (because it is), but avoiding clogged toilets is a helpful and practical goal for 2019.

Resolution #5: Upgrade your bathroom.

There’s no time like a new year to overhaul home’s plumbing fixtures and appliances. Install a new shower head, replace your bathroom tiling, or even just add some LED lighting to your shower.

Small changes often inspire us to make bigger ones. Who knows what you’ll feel compelled to upgrade next! Updating your bathroom can give you the positive motivation you need to make even more upgrades in 2019.

No matter what you do with your home plumbing this new year, never hesitate to call on the experts at Ben Franklin Plumbing.

We can help make your plumbing new year’s resolutions come true, no matter what they may be. After all, our resolution this year is the same as it is every year: to better serve our customers and community to the best of our ability. Have a very happy new year!