The timely maintenance of plumbing systems is essential if homeowners wish to avoid the nagging expense of unexpected repairs and replacements. Plumbing systems that have received regular care and attention can be counted on to reveal any number of potential problems long before they have a chance to grow up and blossom into ugly, expensive situations. If, during the course of a maintenance check, a plumbing system reveals that there is a clog beginning to form in its immediate future, a prompt decision to clear that drain will save not just time, but also money. And if, in a maintenance check, a plumbing system reveals that it is just a small fraction of an inch out of alignment, then that too can be corrected easily, with little fuss and little expense, before it becomes a big problem.
- Plumbing maintenance can help you avoid repairs and replacements.
- The "3 Rs" of plumbing maintenance: routine inspection, timely repair, and replacement.
Another major financial plus from frequent plumbing inspections is that they help fixtures and appliances live longer. Not that plumbing components need a lot of special doling out, but the refinancing plunge has made folks pay more attention to humming dishwashers and clanking garbage disposals. These are your plumbing life—half your mortgages breathe through the pipeline, and the other half vibrate around the valves and fixtures of your bathrooms. Referrals and recommendations may help a lot through rural and small-town America, but how do we even find a good plumber? Following are some cheap and reasonable ways to seek out your local pipe whisperer.
Finally, consistent upkeep of a home's plumbing system can play a significant part in enhancing the property's overall value. Well-functioning plumbing and a system that's easy to access for routine inspections are two big pluses for buyers. If a home requires regular repairs to its plumbing, that may signal a number of red flags. On the other hand, if a buyer knows the plumbing's in great shape and that the system's been recently "tuned up," that's something that most folks find very comforting. And what's also comforting is knowing that this pipe dream (or, rather, the dream of not having to deal with plumbing repairs for a good number of years) is very much a reality, if you maintain the system well enough.