There’s no question that buying your own home is a big investment, and as a homeowner, you’d want to do everything you could to protect your investment for as long as possible. That’s why so many people aren’t afraid to put more money into their homes by way of minor and major remodels.
It’s not just your home’s appearance, though. Things like the plumbing system can affect the total value, too. That’s why having the number of a blocked drain plumber Sydney agency that you can call to handle repairs is a good idea.
Nevertheless, don’t forget to have a plumbing maintenance checklist on hand. That way, you can keep an eye on your plumbing system and take care of any problems as they arise, before they get worse and require costly repairs.
Here are a few points to get you started on your own checklist.
Look for Damage
Your home’s sinks, toilets, showers, and tubs will have caulking around them, so check those to see if there’s any chips or cracks. If there are, then the fixtures are no longer as secure, and the pipes may become more prone to corrosion. If a toilet rocks or shifts when you try to move it, even when there are no visible cracks in the seal around the base, said seal still needs to be repaired.
You’ll also want to check for signs of leaks – water marks or puddles are the surest signs of this – and any green stains around brass or copper fittings on your pipes or around shutoff valves. Even if you don’t have any leaks, your pipes corroding can cause that, not to mention cause bad connections between pipes that will also need to be fixed.
Check the Drainage System
Your sinks, showers, and tubs shouldn’t take too long to drain; if they do, that usually means there’s a clog in the drain, or a vent pipe is blocked. Even if, say, a sink drains properly, watch for any bubbles that appear; this is another sign of a problem somewhere in your drainage system.
Check Your Plumbing Fixtures
Make sure all the fixtures are functioning well. For example, you’ll need to check the hoses on your washing machine to make sure none of them are cracked, brittle or leaking. Since these are usually made of reinforced rubber, they can burst as they get older and lose resiliency, so change them out when needed to keep that from happening.
Keep an eye on your water heater, too, for signs of sediment build-up. If you have water that’s rust-coloured coming out of your fixtures, clothes not looking as clean as they used to when they come from the wash, drain cleaning and less hot water available are all potential signs of this build-up. When that happens, you should have the water heater drained and cleaned out.
Monitor Water Pressure
If you suddenly experience a drop in water pressure only to a few fixtures, that usually points to sediment build-up in the pipes leading to those. Or it could be a sign that there’s a problem in the water line. In both cases, you’ll need to call a professional as soon as possible to take care of it.