A home’s plumbing system is crucial to sustaining life and comfort. When issues arise, they can cause major damage that’s expensive and inconvenient to repair.
Understanding the basics of plumbing maintenance can help homeowners keep their homes in good condition. This article explores five essential plumbing maintenance tips from Shreveport Plumber for new homeowners.
Check Your Water Heater
Your water heater is one of the most important appliances in your home, so it’s important to keep it running smoothly. This includes addressing minor leaks and problems with the temperature or pressure of your water. Regular maintenance will help you prevent costly repairs in the future.
Leaky pipes can cost you a fortune in water bills and damage your home’s interior. Check for signs of leaks regularly, such as water stains on ceilings or walls, dampness around plumbing fixtures, and unexplained increases in your water bill. If you do spot a leak, make sure you turn off your water supply and call a professional plumber right away.
You should also flush your water heater at least once every year to remove sediment. This will help extend your water heater’s life span and keep it operating efficiently. Also, be sure to test your anode rod and the temperature release valve on your gas or electric water heater to ensure they are working properly.
Drain clogs are another common and easily preventable plumbing problem. Be sure to use non-toxic drain cleaners, such as baking soda and vinegar, to clear up stubborn clogs. You should also avoid dumping coffee grounds, grease, hair, or other potential clog-inducing materials down your drains. Lastly, you should insulate exposed pipes in colder climates to prevent them from freezing and bursting.
Many homeowners don’t know that their washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators are connected to their main water line. Be sure to check these appliances frequently for signs of leaking or standing water, including the hoses that connect them. Over time, hoses can deteriorate and develop cracks, which can cause serious water damage.
Keeping up with these simple maintenance tips will extend the life of your plumbing systems and prevent expensive repairs down the road. However, if you have persistent clogs, leaky faucets, or a malfunctioning water heater, it’s best to call in a professional plumber.
Licensed professional plumbers are trained to diagnose and fix a wide range of plumbing issues, so they can save you both time and money. Book an appointment with Wyman today to schedule your routine maintenance!
Inspect Your Faucets
It is important to inspect all of your faucets, showerheads, and other fixtures for leaks and other issues. Leaky faucets can lead to costly water bills. A small drip can turn into a major water leak over time. A simple faucet repair will save you gallons of water and money in the long run. Look for water stains, drips, or other signs of a leak. Make sure all of your faucet handles and valves are tight. Also, clean lint traps in your washing machine.
The bathroom and kitchen are the most common areas of your home to experience plumbing problems. Drains can clog with food scraps, hair, and other debris that should not go down the drain. You can prevent drain clogs by using non-toxic, homemade solutions such as baking soda and vinegar. You should also never put grease down your drains, as this can clog the pipes.
A qualified plumber can inspect your home for leaky pipes or fixtures and will be able to spot potential issues before they become serious. They can also help you upgrade your pipes to reduce your water usage and energy costs by installing new low-flow fixtures.
Your plumbing system is a complex and essential part of your home, but you can keep it running smoothly by taking the right preventative steps. These include scheduling regular maintenance inspections, fixing leaks promptly, managing clogs effectively, and locating shut-off valves. These steps can keep your plumbing system functioning properly for years to come.
With the change of seasons, it is important to take certain preventative measures to ensure your plumbing is ready for cold temperatures. Insulating pipes in your crawl spaces, attic and basement can help keep them warm and prevent freezing in the winter. It is also a good idea to leave cabinet doors open that house your sinks and tubs during the winter, so warm air can circulate inside the cabinets. You can also add insulation to your home’s exterior walls in colder climates, and ensure your furnace is working properly to heat the entire home, not just a single room.
Check Your Drains
A plumbing problem that is ignored can quickly turn into a major headache that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repairs. This is why it’s important to check your drains regularly.
Kitchen and bathroom sink drains can become clogged with hair, soap scum, food waste, and grease. This can cause the water to flow more slowly or back up into your home. Installing mesh drain covers in these sinks can help prevent these problems from occurring. It’s also important to be mindful of what goes down your toilet drains, as these can also cause a lot of damage over time. Only flush human waste and toilet paper down your toilet, as anything else (even things that are labeled as “flushable”) can cause serious clogs and damage your pipes.
If you notice any signs of a slow leak, such as dampness around sinks or unexplained increases in your water bill, it’s important to have these issues addressed right away. Leaks can lead to major problems if not fixed quickly, including water damage and mold growth in your home.
You can do a few things to reduce your risk of these issues, including utilizing drip pans under your sinks and regularly cleaning your showerhead and faucets. You can also invest in a plunger and use it to tackle minor clogs, or if the problem is more severe, you can hire a professional plumber.
It’s also important to know where your home’s plumbing shut-off valve is located so that you can turn off your water supply if there is ever an emergency. You should also understand the layout of your home’s plumbing pipes so that you can better spot potential problems, such as a faulty pipe or a broken water meter. With these basic tips, you can avoid costly plumbing problems in your home.
Check Your Toilet
Leaking toilets can waste thousands of gallons of water each month. That’s a lot of money wasted on something so easy to fix, especially if you don’t catch it in time.
The best way to make sure your toilet isn’t leaking is to check the seals regularly. The fill valve and the flapper need to be able to seal tightly, so check them regularly for wear or cracks. Replace them if they show any signs of wear or leaks.
You should also check the water supply line behind your toilet to see if it has cracked. If it has, that could cause a leak under your toilet and lead to water damage in the floor or drywall. Luckily, this is an issue that you can often prevent with regular maintenance and inspections.
Another important thing to check is your water meter. This is usually located outside where your water main enters the house or inside near your water heater. This is a great way to get an idea of how much water your home is using, which can help you spot a leaky toilet or any other issues quickly. You should check the meter every morning before you use your water to ensure you are not wasting any water.
If your meter does start showing signs of leakage, shut off all of your faucets and water-related appliances to help you pinpoint where the leak is coming from. Then, you can take a look at your water bill to find out the source of the leak.
Finally, you should also check the floor beneath your toilet for signs of rot or damage. This could be a sign of more serious problems in your plumbing system and need to be addressed immediately.
Keeping up with these plumbing maintenance tips can help you save money and keep your home in good condition. But, if you do notice an issue with your plumbing, don’t hesitate to call a professional plumber right away. The sooner a professional plumber can arrive, the faster you can resolve your problem and minimize any damage it causes.
