Whether you’ve lived in your current home for years, or have just moved into your new home, there are some things about plumbing that every homeowner would know. We hope this collaborative post is helpful.
Below are five basic plumbing tips to help keep your plumbing system running efficiently, as well as preventing any chances of a plumbing emergency.
Do an annual water heater checkup
Over time sediment and grime can build up in the bottom of your water heater. If your water source comes from a well, the sediment is often formed of sand and other debris that comes through the waterlines. Your water can also be full of minerals such as calcium carbonate, which settles at the bottom of the water tank when the water is heated at high temperatures. This occurs in hard water areas.
The sediment eventually corrodes water heaters, therefore making it work less efficiently. Draining several gallons of water from your water heater can help to slow down this process, and help to expand the lifespan of your water heater.
Learn where your main water shutoff valve is located
When you have a water emergency, shutting off the water supply is critical because running water can cause extensive damage to your home and it can happen very quickly.
You should familiarise yourself with where the shutoff valve is located. This may vary depending on the arrangement of your home, so don’t just assume you know where it is. Most of the time it is usually located near where the main water supply comes into your home.
A water emergency could happen at any time and should it happen whilst you’re away, you should let your family members know where the valve is located and how to turn it off. More often than not, the shutoff valve can be turned off by hand.
Should an emergency happen, shut off the water completely and call local emergency plumbers who will assist you as soon as possible.
Check your washing machine hose for wear and tear
Just because your washing machine hose is out of sight, it doesn’t mean it should be out of mind. If your washing machine hose is old and worn, and you haven’t observed them recently, they may be at risk of splitting and causing a leak.
When a hose is split you will likely notice it straight away due water being on the floor, however, if it has minor wear it may leak across weeks, months and even a few years.
Save money by stopping leaky taps
A leaky tap may not seem like that big of a deal, but sooner or later that small drip will cost you a lot of money on your water bill if you don’t stop it. Not to mention, it may actually get worse.
These drips are usually caused by the rubber washer in the faucet wearing down, no longer creating a strong water seal. Replacing the old washer with a new one is a simple cost effective repair, which also helps the environment by reducing water wastage.
Occasionally turn off your shut off valves
Most new homes will have a shut off valve located near to the plumbing fixtures. As shut off valves are only really used in times of a plumbing emergency, they can become stuck making it hard to turn them off.
This means in times of an emergency where the water needs to be shut off quickly, you could find yourself with a flooded floor and no way to stop it.
By occasionally turning them back on and off, you can keep the valve from sticking and getting stuck. While you’re doing this, you can also take a minute to inspect the pipes to ensure no leaks have developed.
Whilst it may seem like a bit of a nuisance checking your plumbing, it is worth it as you can’t always see when a problem arises. To make checking everything a bit easier, plan to take half an hour out of your free time every other month or so to assess everything mentioned above.