In the plumbing business, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but proactive maintenance can save homeowners money on costly repairs and utility bills. Here are seven simple plumbing preventative maintenance tasks for your home.
1. Potty Prevention
Even if your toilets are used on a daily basis, it is not very often that you remove the tank cover in order to inspect the inside components.
Checking the fill, supply, and flush values, in addition to the supply line, for corrosion and ensuring that they are still functioning properly is a smart idea. Toilets that leak water can be difficult to detect but can quickly become expensive.
2. Don’t Get Heated Over Your Water Heater
Ever feel like your water heater is giving you the cold shoulder? It could be because sediment has built up in your water heater, making it work less well.
Every year, you should drain and flush your water heater to get rid of the sediment. This will help your water heater work better and last longer.
An annual check of the shut-off valve and pipes on your water heater can let you know if a problem is about to happen.
3. Checks For Slow Drains
Slow drains can be a sign that there are bigger problems going on. How well do your showers, sinks, and tubs drain?
If your drains are slow, try pouring a mixture of vinegar and hot water down them. If they are still moving slowly, you might have a blockage and need to call a plumber.
If you try to get rid of a clog with chemicals or force, you could break the pipes and cause bigger problems. Clear out the P-traps under your sink and use screens or drain baskets in the tub and shower to keep debris from getting stuck and causing a clog.
4. Fix Leaky Faucets & Showerheads
If you want to save money and help the environment, fixing your leaky faucet and showerhead is a good place to start. The Environmental Protection Agency says that leaks in the home waste an average of 180 gallons of water per week for a family of four.
Check that your faucet handles don’t leak when you turn off the water, and look for leaks under the sink or from showerheads. All of these can be signs of a corroded valve, a worn washer, or an O-ring that has broken down.
5. Signs Of The Season
Outdoor faucets, pool lines, and sprinkler systems work fine in the summer, but if they aren’t ready for winter, they can stop your plumbing in its tracks.
As part of your preventive maintenance, turn off the water supply to outdoor fixtures and wrap them in insulation before the weather gets cold. Before your landscaping goes to sleep for the winter, you may need to do a full winterization of your sprinklers.
6. Under Pressure
Outdoor faucets, pool lines, and sprinkler systems work fine in the summer, but if they aren’t ready for winter, they can stop your plumbing in its tracks.
As part of your preventive maintenance, turn off the water supply to outdoor fixtures and wrap them in insulation before the weather gets cold. Before your landscaping goes to sleep for the winter, you may need to do a full winterization of your sprinklers.
7. Missing Caulk
Caulking is important in your bathroom because it keeps your walls and floors from getting wet. If you don’t have enough caulk, water and moisture can get into your floorboards and behind your walls, making the perfect place for mold and mildew to grow.
Check the tiles around your sink, shower, and tub for caulk that is missing or has worn away. With DIY caulking tubes and guns, it’s easy to fix and replace things.
Repair & Maintenance: Atlas Plumbing & Heating
Emergency plumbing situations are difficult to ignore, but routine maintenance is simple to put off. You may save money by planning out your home’s preventative maintenance.
Our plumbers at Atlas Plumbing & Heating can do preventative maintenance on the plumbing system in your house. Or, if you run into a problem while completing your plumbing examination, our experts can provide first-rate service in response to your need for assistance the same day.
Call Atlas Plumbing & Heating right now if you require a dependable plumber!