Whether you have recently purchased your first home, have lived in the same house for multiple years, or you have owned several homes, you already know or are learning that regular maintenance is required to keep your home running smoothly. One of the best ways to cut down on future costs is preventative maintenance.
In an ideal world, plumbing would be a one time investment. Unfortunately it’s not, and if you don’t take care of regular maintenance you will be spending more money in the long run. Luckily, you don’t need to be a plumber to ensure you are taking the basic steps toward making things run more efficiently. While plumbing is one complete system, it is important to keep in mind the many places it is utilized in your home.
With the following plumbing checklist, you can stay on top of many common problems before they happen, which will help save you both time and money. Team Plumbing recommends going over this list at least once a year, but many homeowners find that being on the constant lookout and running through the checklist in the spring, and then again in the fall, can be helpful.
Visual Inspection
Visual inspections are the simplest, but also the most commonly overlooked. Being watchful and attentive of the outward signs of an inward plumbing problem can help keep larger issues at bay. From the moment you move in, you are going to want to be vigilant of any changes or irregularities.
Visual Inspection Check List
System Test
Along with visual inspections of your plumbing, you will also want to take a hands-on approach. This will involve simple testing to see if your systems are working as they should be.
System Test Check List
If you are ever concerned about any of the issues we listed above, contact your local plumbing professional at Team Plumbing. Our plumbing professionals can help diagnose minor problems before they grow, and ensure the safety of your family.
With the following plumbing checklist, you can stay on top of many common problems before they happen, which will help save you both time and money. Team Plumbing recommends going over this list at least once a year, but many homeowners find that being on the constant lookout and running through the checklist in the spring, and then again in the fall, can be helpful.
Visual Inspection
Visual inspections are the simplest, but also the most commonly overlooked. Being watchful and attentive of the outward signs of an inward plumbing problem can help keep larger issues at bay. From the moment you move in, you are going to want to be vigilant of any changes or irregularities.
Visual Inspection Check List
- If exposed pipes are present in your home, be sure to look for any signs of leaking.
- Look for corrosion. If corrosion is occurring, you will start to notice white scale around copper, brass pipes, and valves. If your home has steel pipes, the color will be more of an orange or yellow color.
- For pipes that are confined to the walls or foundation of your home, look for watermarks coming through the wall, floor or ceiling, as well as puddles.
- Look in toilet tanks. If any of the internal parts look broken or rusty, these should be replaced right away.
- Be on the lookout for cracked or broken flooring around plumbing fixtures. This could be a result of water pooling beneath.
- Inspect the water heater for signs of leaks and rust.
- Make sure there are no cracks and leaking on your washing machine hoses.
- Look for areas of cracked or missing caulking at bathtubs and showers. If these areas are no longer sealed, they need to be addressed.
System Test
Along with visual inspections of your plumbing, you will also want to take a hands-on approach. This will involve simple testing to see if your systems are working as they should be.
System Test Check List
- Check the water pressure in your shower, kitchen sink, toilet etc. If you are noticing a decrease in water pressure you may have sediment building up. This can lead to problems down the road. In addition, remove your shower head to look for signs of sediment. This is often the easiest way to know if your low pressure issue is being caused by build up.
- Test the drainage speed of your appliances. Is your tub not draining quickly? Is your kitchen sink backing up where the garbage disposal is located? These are all indicators that your plumbing system may be backed up or clogged with hair or other materials. Also if your drain makes any noise or bubbles up when water is going down the pipe, this is often indicative of a plumbing issue.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank and let it sit for 15 minutes. If there is colored water in the bowl when you return, you have a tank leak that needs to be addressed.
- Flush toilets and be sure the water is swirling down properly followed by replenishing the water to the appropriate level without delay.
- Make sure toilets are not wobbly or coming loose from the floor. If you can wiggle the entire toilet, this may be the sign of a leak. The area may need to be sealed once again in to the flooring to prevent future issues.
- Drain the water heater periodically to assure that there is not an abundance of sentiment present.
- Turn the handles on all faucets off completely and watch for drips or any other signs of leakage.
- Check the walls in the bathroom by pushing on them in the areas around the sink and tube to assure no water is leaking and causing structural damage.
If you are ever concerned about any of the issues we listed above, contact your local plumbing professional at Team Plumbing. Our plumbing professionals can help diagnose minor problems before they grow, and ensure the safety of your family.