Your home’s plumbing system is used 365 days out of the year, and takes a lot of abuse from internal and external sources. A little bit of monitoring on a regular basis can save you from major catastrophes.
Start with checking for leaks. While in your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room, check your faucets and shower heads. Is there any dripping? Or, will the tap just not shut off? If so, time to replace the cartridges or the seats.
While you are still in the washroom, check that the toilet isn’t running. If so, the flapper may need replaced or there could be other issues. Check under your counter tops and the toilet supply lines to make sure there isn’t a leak or dripping started from the supply or drain lines.
Head to your water heater – is the bottom drain dripping, has the relief valve tripped, or are there signs of rust and potential leaks? Replacing the drain or the relief valve requires the tank to be drained to the level of the part you are replacing – remember to shut off the water to the tank before you start to drain and replace.
Whenever you are working with your outside taps, always check that they are shutting off properly. When you turn water back on to them in the spring, check the supply water lines to ensure that no leaks have formed over the winter.
The other part of your plumbing system you need to check is your drains.
Monitoring your drains. A major sewer back up may result in a bad day, but by monitoring your system for abnormal operation and treating your drains before a full back up happens, can help decrease the likelihood of a back up.
Regularly flush drains with hot water to remove build up. If the drains have started to slow, add a drain treatment before flushing to help remove the more difficult build up.
While cleaning your sinks, check that your drains are securely attached.
Does your property have a history of roots? If so – and you don’t want to replace your sewer line, regularly pour root destroyer down the line and schedule regular sewer maintenance with a sewer machine to clear any serious build up.