It is critical to identify plumbing problems before they develop into serious, expensive repairs if you want to preserve the integrity of any construction. A major aspect of early detection is knowing the plumbing system's normal operations. To this end, you should regularly monitor the water pressure and listen for any unusual noises. In addition to these "normal" operations, you should also make note of any unusual performance by plumbing fixtures. This could mean a toilet that takes longer than usual to refill, but it could also be a swimming pool. Look for any signs of leaking, such as discoloration of nearby walls, ceilings, or floors. Mold is another potential plumbing problem that can be "diagnosed" by the sense of smell.
One more essential aspect of identifying plumbing problems early is performing regular maintenance checks on all parts of the plumbing system. These checks must include the examination of all the fixtures—such as faucets, showerheads, and other visible piping—for any signs of degradation, rust, or leakage. They also require investigation into areas that aren't so easily visible, like the insides of walls, the tops of ceilings, and the undersides of floors (where, it vertifies, about 90 percent of plumbing is located). Inspecting all these spaces on a routine basis can reveal the small, easily fixable infractions that can save a homeowner from a much bigger, costlier problem down the road.
Finally, working with technology and professional know-how is also vital for catching plumbing issues before they can escalate. Today, tech can help us do this. For instance, there are now leak detectors you can access via smartphone that will alert you in real-time to anything unusual that your plumbing might be up to. And if you really want to take your problem-not spotting to the next level, you could set up a smart water management system that will do much the same thing, cell-to-customer, but at a fractionally more sophisticated level. But human experts can provide an even better service. By sometime-hovering over your household indoor plumbing, a licensed plumber can spot issues that might not be detectable by the untrained homeowner.