We get that you’re probably not into the idea of doing more chores. Especially plumbing chores. Not doing work is usually better than doing it, right? But what if you could do a tiny amount of work now to avoid having to do a ton of work later?
Trust us, it’s easy: the plumbing checkup checklist we’ve prepared for you is simple. You won’t even have to get your hands dirty! Just check for each of these problems about once a week, and you could head off a major plumbing problem way before it happens. Then, you’ll never have to spend a Sunday bailing water out of your upstairs bathroom like a pirate on a sinking ship.
Slow Drains
See? We really weren’t kidding about easy! You don’t have to checkup on every drain in your home all at once. Just try to use every drain at least once a week. Make sure the water is draining quickly enough, and that there isn’t any water left in the sink or tub when it’s finished.
Clogged drains only get worse over time, so the faster you can find and fix a slow drain, the better. Clear out the drain with a plunger or a cleaning tool, and you’re good to go.
Dripping Faucets
Here’s another checkup you don’t have to do all at once. When you use a faucet, just stick around for about a minute after you turn it back off. See if the faucet drips when it’s supposed to be closed. Feel the bottom of the faucet with your finger to see if it feels wet.
Dripping faucets aren’t a big deal at first, but they can get annoying really fast. Usually fixing them will be as simple as either tightening the handles or replacing the O-ring. If that doesn’t solve the problem, there are a couple other things you can try, or you can consider replacing the faucet.
Leaking Sinks or P-Traps
This checkup is important, partially because you probably don’t think to do it very often. After using a sink, look under it. Find the P-shaped trap and make sure it isn’t leaking. Run the water with the drain while you check to be sure. Look for puddling, condensation, or leaking under the sink basin itself, too.
Leaking sinks are no joke; they waste a lot of water, drive up bills, and can cause a lot of water damage. The faster you can patch up a leak the better. If you need quick fixes, you could use plumber’s putty or caulk on a sink leak, or try a clamp or plumber’s tape on a P-trap leak. Ultimately, though, sink and trap leaks are better dealt with by replacing the cracked part. Traps are pretty easy to replace, but you may need some help with the sink.
Running Toilets
Running toilets are annoying, but they’re also easy to identify and fix. When you use your toilets, just wait around for a second after you flush. The toilet tank should refill with water and be ready to flush again in 30 seconds or so. Maybe you could check out your faucet and sink in the meantime! Look how proactive you are!
Your toilet could start running for a lot of reasons, but almost all of these problems are really easy to fix. If you can’t tell when your toilet is ready to flush again, you could open the tank and watch it fill with water. It’ll be really easy to tell if there’s an issue with the water refill if you watch it happen.
Water Softener Salt
Monitoring the amount of salt left in the tank frequently is a great way to extend your softener’s lifespan. Checkup on the water softener tank about once a week and check out where the salt level is relative to the tank’s fill line.
Ideally, a water softener tank should be about ½ to ¾ full. If it’s too full, the softener will have to work harder to do its job. If it isn’t full enough, you’ll end up with partially softened or hard water. When it comes time to fill the softener tank, be sure to use the same salt that you’ve been using. Don’t try new salt until you’ve used up all the salt that’s currently in the tank.
See? We weren’t just trying to trick you into doing smelly chores! These really simple, really quick check-ups will go a long way toward ensuring the health of your plumbing for years to come. Save money, time, and effort–all without getting stinky!
And remember, if you end up finding a problem with your plumbing while you’re running down the checklist, you can always call us. We can help find the right solution fast, so a small problem never becomes a big one.