Replacing your kitchen and bathroom faucets is a worthwhile investment, especially if your faucets haven’t been updated in 15 years, which is the average lifespan of faucets. Now is a good time to pick out some new faucets, there are many choices in faucet styles and materials are available to meet the design of every household.

As you plan your kitchen or bathroom remodel, research the various types of faucets that will work in your home. Get the most use out of your new faucets by following the three tips listed below.

Frozen pipes can cause serious water damage when they thaw. Fortunately, frozen pipes are an avoidable problem. Preparing your home for cold temperatures this winter and taking measures to protect your pipes when cold weather arrives can help you take care of your property.

Insulate Your Pipes

Pipe insulation protects exposed pipes from cold temperatures. If you don’t properly insulate your pipes before winter, they could freeze and then burst. If you live in an area that experiences cold winters, it’s a good idea to contact a plumber in the fall and have them insulate your pipes.

Pipe insulation is especially helpful in parts of the home that are unheated, such as the basement, crawl space and attic. Pipe insulation can also come in handy in any sheltered, isolated parts of the house, like in the space underneath cabinets and in closets.

It’s another peaceful morning, and you’re ready to tackle a few chores, including laundry. As you head down the basement stairs with a full basket tucked under your arm, you notice a horrific sight: your basement is flooding. Your first instinct might be to drop the basket and begin saving as many items as possible.

Unfortunately, mishandling even minor flooding in your basement can lead to unnecessary damage, or you might even get hurt. Here are some suggested steps to take once you discover your basement is filling with water.

It’s bound to happen at some point—you’re taking care of business only to discover that you’re fresh out of toilet paper. But it just so happens that you have a roll of paper towels or a box of facial tissues nearby. Nature’s calling, and at that point, substituting tissue or paper towels for toilet paper doesn’t seem all that terrible. Unfortunately, doing just that could be more dangerous for your toilet than you think.

Summer has arrived, and if you’re a parent, that means your kids are off from school and spending more time around the house. While it can be a pleasure having the kids around all day, their presence also makes plumbing problems more likely.

Problems that have been brewing for a while may become more serious, and new problems may arise as well. Follow these seven plumbing tips to protect your plumbing from the kids.