When your basement is flooding or your toilet won't flush, clearly you need to call a plumber. But in a perfect world, you would not have to deal with these problems at all! The world is not perfect, but there are some things you can have your plumber do to reduce your risk of plumbing trouble and big problems in the coming months and years.

Install backflow preventers

Backflow preventers basically ensure that if there is a sewage backup, the nasty sewer water does not make its way into your sink or tub. You may think you'll never have a sewage backup, but that's really beyond your control since issues in the public sewer line can lead to a backup. A plumber can install a preventer on every sink and tub in your home, which will keep you from having to deal with bad odors, exposure to harmful bacteria, and big messes.

Valve lubrication and replacement

It's really important that you are able to turn off all the plumbing valves in your home. If there is a leak, being able to turn off the associated valve will minimize the amount of water that escapes. Sadly, many valves seize up and corrode over time, and the homeowner discovers they can't get the valve to budge when water is spewing out all over the place. A plumber can loosen and lubricate your valves so that if there is an emergency, you can easily turn the water off.

Sewer line snaking

Having your drain or sewer lines clog is quite a headache. Suddenly, you can't flush the toilet and nothing will go down your drains! Your plumber can come use a piece of equipment called a hydrojet to clear any grime out of your drain lines. The hydrojet will also clear out any roots that have grown into your main drain line. This will help keep clogs from developing in the coming years.

Pipe insulation

One final thing you will want your plumber to do is apply insulation to all of your pipes. This will help keep the pipes from freezing in the cold winter months. Frozen pipes are more than an annoyance; they can burst and flood your home. So you really want to do all you can to prevent this!

Plumbers offer a wide range of preventative and protective services, as discussed above. Call your plumber to learn more about the steps they can take to help you keep your home safe and problem-free.