Plumbing Maintenance Checklist

For a homemaker or a home owner, maintenance is often a daunting task. After completing the daily chores taking time out tinkering with pipelines and electrical layouts and other stuffs may seem more than just playing the homely sleuth. It is for this reason a checklist is necessary. Regular maintenance helps to keep plumbing problems at bay. It helps in preventing big repairing and replacement costs of the future.

Here is a checklist that can save your time while dealing with the plumbing system of your house. Apart from regular cleaning and flushing of drains, if you tick by while you deal with the pipes and faucets of your home, it will help you considerably. It not only include the plumbing system that operates toilets, sinks etc. in your home, but it also covers laundry facilities such as the service sinks and drains that you might have.

COMPLETE PLUMBING MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST FOR YOUR HOME:

Check for any signs of leaks of exposed and hidden pipes. You will get to see watermarks on your walls and small puddles around.
Check for rusted and corroded pipes. In case of corrosion you will get to see green stains of brass and copper fittings, and orange rust stains on iron/steel pipes. If not checked regularly and replaced, it may cause leaks.
Check the water pressure of the faucets and showers. Low flowing water may be due to sedimentation within the pipe, it can also be due to problem with the water line. Take measure to ensure smooth water flow.
Remove the shower head and check for any sedimentation. It not only clears the water flow but also prevents corrosion of the shower head.
Check the sink, shower and bath tub drain for the speed of water drainage. Slow drainage implies clogged drain pipe. Any bubbling while water drainage and gurgling sounds implies problem in the vent.
Take little time for the drains and pull out loose hair and debris from the mouth of the drains and keep the water flowing down freely.
Check the flush of every toilet. Ensure that the toilet water does not continue to flow after flushing. Also see to it that there is no water dripping around the toilet.
Check the flush tank for any chipping, rusting or missing parts.
Check each toilet to see if they are not tilting or moving.
Check the tiles around the toilets, sinks and shower. Loose tiles and moving hollow tiles indicate that there is water flow beneath them.
Check the bathtub, sink and the toilets caulking to see that they are not coming off.
Check for mold and mildew growth
Check the burner chamber of the water heater for any rusts.
Check the flame of the water heater and clean the jets is you see any yellow color within the blue flame.
Check the garbage disposal system of your sink, if it has one. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to keep it clean to avoid malfunctioning and over flowing.
Drain the chamber of the water heater of the house to clean any sediment formation to avoid corrosion.
Check the faucets around the house. To do that you need to turn them on at full speed. If you see water leakage from the handles and valves they need repair.
Visibly check the washing machine hose for any cracks and leaks. Replace the usual rubber hoses with braided stainless ones that are best suited for high pressure of water flow.
Check the house septic system, add available domestic enzyme additive to it to avoid any problem and bad odor.
Check the main sewer occasionally, go for professional blockage and tree root removal to avoid total overflow of the drains.

Go through the entire checklist at least bi-annually. In case if you detect any problems call in a professional and get it checked and repaired. This not only would restrict the problem from spreading but also prevent a major plumbing disaster in the house. Thus an hour around the house’s pipes, drains and faucets will help your pocket from draining out from major plumbing replacement.