Keeping a plumbing system in good working order is vital for a home's well-being. Your pipes and fixtures send forth necessary water and carry away wastes, and they impinge upon your convenience and your property’s overall worth. In short, plumbing is nearly as fundamental to a home as a foundation. While some plumbing problems are unavoidable and may affect any home's plumbing, it is good to know that there are a number of plumbing preventive maintenance tips that can help avert disasters.
1. Check for leaks—Don’t merely listen for sounds of dripping or hissing; look behind and beneath sinks and in shower stalls. Also, check to see that your water heater is leak-free.
2. Drain and vent—Inspect concealed areas and major drain components for venting problems. Minor leaks can lead to major problems.
3. Overflow—See that overflows work properly in basins, sinks, toilets, and tubs.
4. Slope—Check that outdoor drains and pipes are sloped properly for drainage.
5. Check fixtures—Periodically inspect your toilets, sink and tub drains, and hot and cold hoses for your malfunctioning fixtures' proper functioning.
A cornerstone of preventive plumbing is the early detection of problems, which can save time and money for the average homeowner. The first step in early detection is the identification of small leaks and drips. A homeowner may not realize that a missing or misaligned roof shingle can allow enough water to hit the underside of a roof and eaves to result in a serious drip-drip-drip nosedive to the kitchen sink below. Or that missing or cracked caulk can allow enough water to hit wall studs (and a little too much wall paint) to make a basement's closet smell musty. Yet, these three situations alone could cause a remodeler's paradise, with the same remodeling contractors coming back again and again to repair failed plumbing, failed painting, and failed roofs.
In addition, preventive plumbing practices empower homeowners with the knowledge and skills to maintain the health of their plumbing system. Simple do-it-yourself tasks—like cleaning out sink aerators and running vinegar through garbage disposals—can prevent clogs and ensure smooth operation over time. In addition, maintaining a yearly schedule of professional inspections can identify hard-to-find issues and ensure that all systems are functioning up to par. Equipped with a checklist of preventive measures and conducting routine assessments protect against the accumulation of debris and the buildup of materials that lead to significant flow disruptions. All this was done to enable an experience of peace that can be enjoyed by homeowners through the elimination of plumbing emergencies.