Yearly Plumbing Maintenance Checklist For Homeowners 

Following a yearly plumbing maintenance checklist is crucial for homeowners so as to ensure the efficient operation of water systems and avoid expensive repairs in the home. 

Your family’s welfare and your home depend heavily on your plumbing system, as it accounts for approximately 15% of the total value of your home. Daily activities like taking a shower, doing the dishes, and washing your hands depend on it. It is simple to take it for granted.

However, many small things could go wrong, causing enormous problems, high prices, and small things to develop into big things. 

Fortunately, there are a lot of plumbing maintenance checklists to guide you on how to properly maintain your plumbing system and protect its value from do-it-yourself fixes, to early identification of developing more significant issues. The best and most evident step is to start by checking for water leaks in your home. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), easily fixed water leaks waste almost 1 trillion gallons of water annually. However, the homeowner cannot fix all leaks, especially hidden ones. 

This article provides information on helpful plumbing maintenance checklists, including DIY projects and those leak problems that may need professional attention.

ANNUAL PLUMBING MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

In the same way you take care of your lawn or garden; your plumbing system also requires proper maintenance to ensure minor problems don’t become a costly headache. Routine plumbing maintenance will also allow you to keep your plumbing system running in excellent condition throughout the year.

However, apart from the daily plumbing maintenance, homeowners should take a proper look at all the plumbing in the house once a year and seek professional help where necessary. Here is a plumbing maintenance checklist to keep you and your household going.

CHECK FOR LEAKS:

Checking for leaks can be categorised as one of the most crucial plumbing maintenance checklists you can easily do around your house, to keep your plumbing system from running into problems that could warrant unplanned expenses. 

A leak, left unchecked, can cause damage to walls, ceilings and even flooring, not to mention the cost of the professionals who would have to come out to fix the problem. 

Some places to check for leaks in your plumbing system include Faucets, Toilet flappers, Shower heads, Pipe fittings, Kitchen sinks, and Garbage disposals can also experience regular leaks because they are always in use. Check for any signs of water damage.

TIPS TO USE WHEN CHECKING FOR LEAKS

• Put on all the faucets to ensure water does not come from handles or valves. Dripping taps are known to be the most common plumbing repair.

• To prevent water from escaping into the bowl and making the toilet run more frequently than it should, check the flappers to ensure they are tightly sealed.

• Turn on the showerhead, and check for any drips or stray sprays that can’t be prevented with tape.

• Always remember to look behind the sinks for any leaks that may be present, such as water puddles, water marks, musty odours, and mould.

• Check the base of the toilet for any moisture.

• Look at the faucet, disposal, pipes under the sink and sprayer in the kitchen.

HUD also advises that you annually check for leaks in the areas listed below:

• Look for signs of water damage on the walls, windows, doors, and ceilings.
• connectors and washer hoses
• hoses for dishwashers
• washroom appliances and dishwasher water connections for safety, leak detection, and corrosion
• connections between the icemaker and the refrigerator drip pan
• Drains and traps beneath sinks, bathtubs, and showers
• water heater
•  Boiler
• Check for leaks or sweating on the water main, metre, or well pump

Also, do a yearly check on the following:

• The shower, bathtub, and bathroom sink’ caulking. If there are cracks, water could enter your walls or flooring. As required, do well to fix them. Remove and replace all caulking as needed. Do the same in the kitchen.

• Your garden hoses for damage in the springtime because they may be broken or dried up during the winter. Over 6,000 gallons of water can be lost in only one month by a single leaky hose with a diameter of about a cent. Also, inspect the spigot itself for leaks as well.

PREVENT CLOGS

One of the most typical plumbing issues is a clog in the drains. Avoiding a clog is at the top of the list for a home plumbing maintenance checklist. Doing that will spare you from dealing with a more significant clog or complete blockage in the future. 

Additionally, clogs exert pressure on your pipes, shortening their useful life. Below is a home plumbing maintenance checklist to help homeowners avoid clogs.

• Remove hair and debris from your sink, tub, and shower drain traps regularly. 

• Use screens or drain baskets in the shower and tub in the bathroom to stop hair from going down the drain.

• Cut back on the number of bath oils you use.

• P-traps under your sinks should be cleaned.

• Never flush grease, oil, or fats—including butter—down the drain. They could accumulate in your gutters and clog them.

• Utilize your waste disposal wisely. Keep the water running for about 15 seconds after shutting off the garbage disposal to clean the drain. It would be best not to put celery, banana peels, or meats down the garbage disposal. 

• Avoid flushing items like feminine products, disposable diapers, tissue paper, cat litter, and hair down the toilet. If your toilet constantly gets clogged, it could be a signal that there is an issue in the main sewer line.

• To ensure that your septic system and sewer line is in good condition, It is crucial to do routine inspections. A professional can tell you if you need septic tank pumping. It’s also essential to keep your sewer line in good condition. Watching out for warning signs that your sewer drain will clog is also necessary. To avoid a complete clog if you are experiencing tree root issues, schedule routine sewage line snaking.

QUICK FIXES THAT CAN HELP HOMEOWNER MAINTAIN A GOOD PLUMBING SYSTEM

Is your toilet constantly running? Because of mineral accumulation, does your shower head spray in all directions? Does your garbage disposal have a strong odour or operate improperly? Try out a few of these simple remedies for typical home plumbing repair difficulties.

• Numerous causes can cause a toilet to run continually. The most frequent and straightforward ones to fix are a worn flapper or a chain that is too short or too long and gets caught. It is cheap and easy to replace the flapper and chain. And if the chain is too long and hanging up, you can cut it shorter.

• You may remove mineral buildup from a shower head by soaking it in vinegar overnight and then scrubbing it briskly. This also applies to faucet aerators.

• White vinegar ice cubes can be used to clean foul-smelling or disorganised garbage disposal by passing them through the appliance.

CONCLUSION

The most incredible line of defence for homeowners against expensive plumbing issues is to examine these potentially problematic areas at least once a year. With the help of this plumbing maintenance checklist, you’ll be well on your way to a safer plumbing system for you and your family.