Checking your Plumbing at home is normally the last thing on your mind but as we all know, a problem can “burst out of nowhere” at any time, leaving you the opposite of “high and dry”. At times they can be small issues but when it’s bad, its bad. A regular inspection of your important plumbing fixtures can help you uncover and correct developing problems before they become a plumbing emergency.
There are specific places you should focus your home plumbing inspection checklist, those being the kitchen and bathroom. However, you don’t want to forget to check around the house for other appliances and fixtures, ranging from your hose and tap outlets, washing machines and anywhere else where you have a water source.
If you need assistance from a professional, Drainmen Services is listed as an Essential Service and are available 24/7.
Bathroom Plumbing
Plumbing in your bathrooms get a lot of use by family as well as guests. It is no surprise that the bathroom is the room most likely to see plumbing problems such as leaky taps, pipes or around the toilet.
Water supply lines hidden in the walls for the bath and shower drains can be especially problematic since such hidden leaks can cause major damage before you even spot it. Hidden water pipe leaks often reveal themselves with signs of water damage in the room below the plumbing pipes or in the walls.
The drains in the bath, sink and shower are especially prone to soap and hair clogs, and rather than waiting for these to become full blockages, you should periodically disassemble drain traps and remove hair and debris. Drain pipes can also often be blocked up by roots that find their way into pipes.
With your toilet plumbing, you want to save water by not letting it run for too long after a flush. If your toilet rocks slightly when you sit on it, or if you notice water seeping around its base, then it is likely that the wax ring that seals the toilet base to the drain opening has worn out and needs to be replaced.
Along your bath, periodically check all caulk beads along the bath, floors and walls to make sure it is intact. Any gaps you find need to be sealed with fresh caulk. Every few years, it is a good idea to remove the old caulk and apply a new bead of high-quality silicone tub-and-shower caulk.
Kitchen Plumbing
The kitchen is another room filled with plumbing fixtures used daily. Your kitchen plumbing should be inspected often.
The kitchen sink plumbing gets a lot of use and a sink strainer is a common place where leaking can occur. The strainer basket should be replaced when it begins to leak or becomes corroded. A sink that drains too slowly may have a clog building in the P-trap or branch drain.
A leaky kitchen faucet is the most common plumbing repair there is, and it can quietly waste hundreds of litres of water each year. Watch your faucet carefully as you operate the lever to spot for any problems.
If you have a dishwasher take a few minutes to watch and listen to the dishwasher in action. A dishwasher that is slow to fill may have a problem with the water supply hose or the shutoff valve that controls it. If the dishwasher is slow to drain, or if drain water remains in the bottom of the dishwasher after the cycle is over, inspect the water discharge hose for clogs or pinching.
Your washing machine, whether kept in the kitchen, bathroom or a designating washing room, should be periodically inspected. Check the water hoses for signs of wear and tear. Rubber hoses that begin to bulge are near the end of their useful lives and should be replaced. Hoses that burst while the owners are away are a major cause of expensive water damage.
You can check your home water pressure to avoid excess stress on your home’s plumbing system by making sure the water pressure is at a safe level. It only takes a few minutes to test water pressure with a pressure gauge. If the pressure is too high, then install or repair/replace the pressure regulator to bring it down to a safe level.
Garden or outdoor hose spigots and faucets often get overlooked, but can develop leaks and need repair. Outdoor spigots in cold climates can be especially prone to cracking due to extreme winter temperatures; replace any bad spigots you find.
Garden irrigation systems such as lawn sprinkler systems should be inspected at the start of the watering season to make sure all spray heads are operating properly.
If you need assistance from a professional, Drainmen Services is listed as an Essential Service and are available 24/7.