5 Plumbing Tips to Keep Your Home Running Smoothly All Year
Let’s talk plumbing tips. A little regular attention to your home’s plumbing can save you from expensive, messy surprises down the road. Our licensed technicians put together this list of simple, do-it-yourself checks homeowners can do throughout the year to catch small issues before they turn into big (and costly) ones. Here are five places to start.
1. Watch for Leaks Before They Add Up
Even a small drip from a faucet or an outside hose bib can quietly cost you hundreds of dollars in water bills and waste gallons of fresh water over time. That’s before accounting for the damage water can do if it works its way into your floors, walls, or foundation.
Your toilet is one of the most common (and most overlooked) culprits. If the chain connecting the flush lever to the flapper is hanging loose, the flapper can stay slightly open and let water run continuously. If you notice your toilet running longer than it should, lift the tank lid and adjust the chain tension – it’s a quick fix that can stop the waste immediately.
2. Give Your Water Heater Some Attention
Over time, sediment settles at the bottom of a traditional tank water heater. That buildup acts like insulation between the water and the heating element, making your unit work harder and less efficiently. Having a professional check your system once a year helps catch this early. During that visit, a plumber will typically:
- Check the drain valve for signs of leakage
- Check the anode rod for corrosion
- Inspect the burner on gas units
A healthy gas burner flame should look blue with yellow tips. If the flame is mostly yellow or you see carbon buildup, the flue may be clogged and worth having looked at.
If your water heater ever starts leaking from the tank itself, that usually points to a problem with the housing that isn’t repairable. Most tanks last 8-12 years, so if yours is on the older side, upgrading to a newer, more efficient model can often pay for itself through fuel savings alone.
3. Check Your Washing Machine’s Supply Lines
Older washing machines often still have rubber supply lines, and rubber wears, corrodes, and can eventually burst without warning (usually at the worst possible time). Swapping those out for stainless braided steel hoses is a simple, inexpensive upgrade that goes a long way toward protecting your home from a sudden, avoidable mess.
4. Prep Your Sump Pump Before the Next Big Storm
Before severe weather rolls in, take a few minutes to make sure your sump pump is in working order. Check the sump pit for sand, silt, or debris buildup, since that can jam the pump and eventually burn out the motor.
You can also test the discharge pipe by connecting a garden hose to the connection point and running water through it. If it flows freely out the other end, the pipe is clear. And if your sump pump has ever been overwhelmed during a past storm, a battery-operated backup unit is worth considering for extra peace of mind.
5. Keep Gutters and Downspouts Clear
It’s easy to forget gutters are part of your home’s overall water management, but clogged gutters and downspouts let water overflow and pool around your foundation, where it can seep into basements and crawl spaces. A regular clean-out, especially after fall leaf drop, helps keep water moving away from your home the way it’s supposed to.
When to Call in a Professional
These checks can head off a lot of common problems. However, some issues like a water heater nearing the end of its life or a sump pump that’s already struggling are worth having a licensed plumber take a look at. Our technicians go through ongoing, biweekly training so they’re up to date on best practices, and every repair is backed by our 5-year warranty and 1-year money-back guarantee.
The Plumbing Knight is a veteran-owned, family-operated business serving the area since 1996If you’d rather have a professional handle any of the checks above, or just want peace of mind before the next storm season, give us a call to schedule a visit.
Call us today at 910-639-5555 or click here to schedule an appointment online.
