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Taking good care of your home’s plumbing is vital for keeping clean water flowing in and wastewater out. Most homeowners don’t worry about their plumbing until something goes wrong. At that point, they’re left with a massive mess and, consequently, a large bill.
This is preventable. Plumbing maintenance should be done on a regular basis to identify small problems before they become huge, costly ones later. Maintenance also helps with water conservation and saving energy.
Maintaining your home’s plumbing system involves looking for tiny leaks on a regular basis. It also entails undertaking regular plumbing maintenance to detect and address issues as soon as they occur. Regular plumbing maintenance should include examining and repairing your septic system, as well as servicing water-using equipment such as your hot water system washing machines, and dishwashers.
Plumbing leaks not only compromise your pipes and water pressure, but they can also cause structural damage to your property. Undetected leaks under sinks or in walls can cause wood rot, mould growth, and pipe corrosion. Repairing the long-term damage caused by a minor leak is expensive, and the inconvenience it may cause is an even larger burden.
If a pipe freezes and bursts, you may have a flooded room. Water absorbed by the carpet must be vacuumed up and the area quickly dried to prevent mould and mildew from growing. Also, once wood rot sets in, the structural integrity of your home could be compromised.
Making certain your home’s plumbing system is in good operating order is the greatest way to avoid plumbing problems, save energy, and preserve water for future generations. If an issue arises, you must address it as soon as possible.
We’ve asked a top-class plumbing company to put together a plumbing maintenance checklist that covers daily recommendations, monthly inspections, and other plumbing maintenance tips. By following this checklist, you may save money on electricity, conserve water, and keep your home plumbing system in good working order
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Daily Plumbing Maintenance Tips
What you do daily might have an impact on your plumbing. Preventing blockages, which are one of the most frequent plumbing concerns that homes confront, is part of daily maintenance.
Why Should You Worry About a Blocked Drain?
Clogs are not only inconvenient; they also reduce the lifespan of your sewage lines by increasing strain and tension on the pipes. Even a slow drain can cause issues, so you should get a clog cleared before it becomes a total obstruction. Better still, avoid a blockage in the first place.
Because you are using your home’s plumbing on a regular basis, you must maintain it on a daily basis. But how? You may do so by following a few basic plumbing maintenance guidelines to keep your water flowing and wastewater leaving your house. The bathroom and kitchen are the two areas in your house that use the most water and are most prone to plumbing problems.
Kitchen Plumbing Daily Checklist
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Kitchen drains frequently clog because of trash or food scraps that should not be thrown down the drain. Never dump grease or oils down the sink to avoid clogged drains in this area. This includes cooking oils and fats (including butter) which can solidify in the pipes and restrict water flow.
Another typical cause of blocked kitchen drains is improper garbage disposal use. To avoid this problem, use the following kitchen plumbing maintenance checklist:
- Turn on the water and the disposal before adding food.
- Food waste that is fibrous or stringy should never be disposed of in the garbage disposal. This includes banana peels, asparagus, potato peels, and other difficult-to-grind items.
- After using the disposal, run cold water for at least 10 seconds to make sure the food waste gets washed down.
Bathroom Plumbing Daily Checklist
Drains in the bathroom are another common source of blockages. By following this plumbing maintenance checklist, you can prevent a blocked drain:
- Reduce the use of bath oils and place screens over drains to prevent hair from going down the drain.
- If you don’t use the toilet as a garbage can, you can avoid blockages. Ideally, only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down. While tampons and wipes are branded as flushable, it is best to use an actual garbage can.
- Allow around 10 minutes between showers to ensure appropriate water pressure and hot water throughout the day. Maintaining optimum water pressure will help reduce any unnecessary stress on your plumbing system.
- Avoid using chemical blocked drain removal products. They might do more harm than good. These products have the potential to damage your pipes, especially after repeated use.
Consider all of the items you use to clean, moisturise, and condition. They are usually made oily or greasy to moisturize your skin and hair. However, once down your drain, they can cling to pipes, collect other debris, and cause a clogged drain.
Monthly Plumbing Checklist
Every homeowner should inspect their pipes once a month. This is a smart strategy to keep minor issues from becoming major, costly ones. The following is a list of weekly plumbing maintenance:
- Look for any leaks. Look for evidence of moisture, pools of water, watermarks, a musty odour, and mould growth, under sinks.
- Check the speed and drainage of all sink and shower drains. When bubbles emerge while the water drains, it typically indicates a partially blocked drain.
- Turn on all of the water faucets in your house; water should not be leaking out of the knobs, valves, or base.
- Clean your washing machine’s lint traps.
Outdoor Plumbing Checklist
Your outdoor taps and hoses are typically exposed to the rain, sun and rapid changes in temperature. By following this outdoor plumbing maintenance checklist, you can keep your outdoor plumbing in good condition for a long time.
If you live in an area where the temperature can drop below freezing, your outdoor plumbing is especially prone to failing, so pay extra attention to this list, or be prepared to replace your hoses every year.
- Avoid leaving your hose in direct sunlight because it can cause it to become brittle and break.
- Disconnect the water hose from the outside tap. If the hose is left attached, it can freeze, expand, and cause the hoses to rupture. It can also cause damage to the tap itself.
- Turn off the water valves for your outside taps and drain the water from your outdoor water lines after every use.
- Examine outside taps for drips and leaks. Contact a plumber to perform any required repairs.
- Inspect your gutters for any signs of damage, leaks, or loose places. It is also critical to ensure that the downspouts are pointing away from the house and that there is no debris inside. Take extra precautions whenever you’re working on your roof or other high places
Hot Water System Maintenance
Your hot water system is critical to you and your family’s health and comfort, so you should take steps to ensure its longevity.
- Examine your hot water system for cracks, wear, and water leaking. It just takes 5 minutes, but it may save you money on water and allow you to handle minor issues before they become major ones.
- If you’re only going away for a week or so, don’t worry about this recommendation; but, if you’re going away for a few weeks or longer, switch off your hot water system. Why? Because otherwise, your system will continue to heat your water even when you aren’t using it, extending the life of your system, and saving you money on gas or electricity.
- Inspect your pressure relief valve every 6 months. To perform this correctly, you’ll need the instructions that came with your tank (or Google your system and locate them online if you don’t have the manual). The relief valve is intended to remove excess pressure, thus it must function correctly.
- If your system is on a grassy area near your house, please be careful when performing garden upkeep. A whipper snipper, for example, can do significant damage to the pipes that feed your system, and severe bumps from the mower might result in fractures or dents. Just be cautious when working around the area.
Appliance Plumbing Maintenance
Every appliance should be serviced on a regular basis. Examine your washing machine, ice makers, dishwashers, and other appliances that are connected to your plumbing.
- Wear and tear is natural for older appliances, but have a detailed inspection for leaks and bulging in any of the water lines.
- Consider your options if there are any more severe symptoms of age, other than typical wear and tear. You have the option of having them repaired or replacing the entire machine. Choose what works best for your situation. However, more durable materials, such as stainless-steel hoses, are recommended. It’s more long-lasting and can save you money in the long term.
Testing your Water Pressure
Here are 2 methods you can use to test your water pressure.
Method #1: Use your water metre to test the flow through rate of your taps.
To determine how many litres you are receiving through your service, you can conduct the following easy test. However, be aware that this may not be entirely accurate, as it frequently depends on where your water supplies are located on your property.
To find out how many litres you are getting from your service, we advise you to do the following test:
Step 1:
Ensure that all faucets and water-using devices are shut off.
Step 2:
Record the black and red metre numbers on paper.
Step 3:
Open the garden tap in your front yard for 60 seconds. Make sure to save this water for your yard or indoor plants.
Step 4:
Subtract a second metre reading from the first metre reading. This will show you how much water was released within the initial 60 seconds.
Step 5 :
If your garden tap is dispensing MORE than 20 litres per minute, there may be a problem with your internal pipework. If so, you should contact a licensed plumber or a water-wise plumber.
Method #2: Using a water pressure gauge.
One simple, inexpensive pressure gauge is all you need; you can get one at any hardware store. Look for one that can measure up to 300 pounds per square inch (psi), has female hose threads for simple hookup, and a rubber gasket to create a tight seal.
Step 1:
Ensure that every faucet, showerhead, dishwasher, washing machine, ice maker in the refrigerator, and sprinkler are all turned off. A low pressure reading may be brought on by any part of your plumbing system where water is flowing.
Step 2:
Connect the gauge to a outdoor faucet. Choose the tap that is closest to your water meter if you receive your water from one. If you have a well, locate the hose connector closest to the pressure tank of the well.
Step 3:
Open the faucet all the way and manually tighten the gauge. To find out the pressure, look at the gauge. A 45 to 55 psi value is considered good. You should take action if the pressure is lower than 40 psi or more than 80 psi.
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“My plumbing is all screwed up. Because it turns out, I do not own a garbage disposal.” – Demetri Martin
This checklist will help you ensure that all your plumbing is in good working order. However, having your local reputable plumbers come in for a professional assessment of all your plumbing may be in your best interest and for the betterment of your plumbing. To get a comprehensive plumbing inspection of your home, reach out to the Jetset Plumbing team, and they can provide advice and repairs to keep your plumbing system in tip-top shape.
