My husband's a plumber, and these are the 3 expert-approved tips every household should know

(Image credit: Shutterstock and Future)

Whenever I tell people my husband is a plumber, they usually say: "That must be so handy!" And I always agree, yes, it absolutely is.Whenever there's a plumbing (or heating) problem in my house, he knows how to solve it, and we don't have to spend extra money doing it or calling an emergency plumber late at night.But instead of gatekeeping his secrets, I thought I'd ask him to share three of his favorite expert-approved tips that he thinks will help anyone in their home, so you can avoid making common plumbing mistakes.Trust me, I should know if they work, because I literally use all three of them whenever needed. Here's some expert advice (free of charge) that'll hopefully even save you money in the future.Just be sure to stick around for all three; I've saved my favorite until last.1. Don't pour hot oil down your sink

Foil in a bowl for hot oil disposal (Image credit: Future)Excess oil that you've been cooking with seems like a pretty reasonable thing to pour down your sink when you've finished with it. After all, it's greasy, runny, and edible. But don't do it.As my plumber husband explains: "While hot oil is liquid when it's been heated up, once it cools down it sets hard. If you have an incorrect fall on your waste pipe, this oil can sit stationary inside it, leading to blockages.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips."The best solution is to pour your hot oil into a foil-lined bowl, leave it to set, and then throw the foil directly into the trash once it has [congealed]."2. Don't put bleach tablets in toilet tanks