Perla IrishA recent report found that 15% of Americans reported purchasing a new home between 2013 and 2018. That’s a lot of new homeowners!
If you’re coming from a rental situation, you may not be used to taking care of a lot of routine maintenance on your own.
Probably the most useful tip for homeowners is to know the location of your shut-off valves. Your toilets, sink, water heater, and main water should have shut-off valves. Such knowledge may come in handy when you encounter emergency plumbing problems.
One of the many things you’ll want to start thinking about is plumbing maintenance. As long as you stay on top of a few key aspects, you’re less likely to end up with a plumbing emergency.
Read on for our top 5 plumbing maintenance tips that every homeowner should follow.
Read Also:
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- How Does Home Plumbing Work: The Ultimate Guide
- How to Avoid the Most Common Plumbing Problems
1. Look for Leaks
Plumbing leaks don’t just affect water pressure and pipes, they can trigger other damages to your home. Undetected leaks can result in mold growth, wood rot, and pipe corrosion.
Immediate repairs of leaks will help prevent costly and more inconvenient damage. Small leaks may be DIYed but if they’ve already caused damage, you’ll need professional help such as CE Plumbing & Heating.
Check for leaks a few times a year, as they can occur for a number of reasons ranging from frozen pipes to lose connections. To start, turn on your faucet and look under the sink for any leaking or pooling water.
You should also check your basement for any signs of water that weren’t there before.
You can also check if your toilet tank is leaking and wasting water. Add a few drops of food dye to the water in the tank and leave the toilet unflushed for at least an hour.
If the water in the toilet bowl contains any of the food dye, that means that your toilet tank is leaking excess water.
2. Test Your Sump Pump and Clean Gutters
Cleaning your gutters from debris as well as checking your sump pump are also crucial maintenance plumbing jobs. Your gutters should be free of debris to enable water to drain easily. It’s possible for sump pumps to freeze and stop working when they’re exposed to very cold temperatures. Thus, it’s best to check and clean it before winter comes.
Your sump pump is located in the basement subflooring and is designed to divert water away from your home and foundation.
To test it, add a good amount of water to your sump pit. You want to see that the sump pump turns on and successfully pumps the water out of the pit and away from the basement.
3. Check Out Your Hot Water Tank
Hot water tanks are prone to cracks and leaks, too, especially if they’re over eight years old. Look for signs of water damage or dampness where your hot water tank is housed.
You may also want to do a bit of research on the hot water tank your house came with to determine if you should replace it with something more energy-efficient.
4. Address Clogs
If you notice that your sink, shower, or toilet is clogged or developing a clog, address it. Note that you may want to avoid store-bought drain cleaners, as the chemicals in them can corrode certain pipes.
If you use a small snake and still can’t seem to break up the clog, it may be in the pipes, which will require a professional plumber’s assistance.
5. Call Your Plumber
Check with a reputable plumber for routine maintenance of your home’s water heater as well as the HVAC system. Whether you have an emergency, a concern, or just want an inspection, make sure you know who to call. Finding good plumbing services near you should be a top priority as a homeowner.
Working with the same professionals more than once builds trust and allows your contractors to get a better sense of your property’s unique issues.
Be a Responsible Homeowner with These Plumbing Maintenance Tips
If you’re a new homeowner and you’re adjusting to life without a landlord, the first thing you’ll need to do is to get used to handling maintenance on your own. These plumbing maintenance tips are a great first step towards becoming a responsible homeowner.
Looking for other ways to be the best homeowner you can be? Check out some of our awesome design tips that will help you create your dream home.
