Moving into your first home can be overwhelming. Understanding basic plumbing maintenance can save you hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars.The thing is, sometimes first-time homeowners just don’t know what they don’t know. In this article, we walk through 4 basic plumbing scenarios so you can get ahead of plumbing issues in your new home.
1 – Should I Be Worried About a Leaky Faucet?
A leaky faucet means something isn’t working properly. It can cause problems and ignoring it can cost you thousands of dollars, and wastes hundreds of gallons of water. If your faucet has one, you can try replacing the gasket in your pipe connections and the o-rings inside your faucets. Some faucet don’t have replaceable washers, so you might have to replace the whole thing.If you have hard water or the faucet is old, it may have deteriorated enough that it simply needs to be replaced.
2 – Should I be nervous if I know the Previous Homeowner did a lot of DIY Fixes?
There are hundreds of helpful tutorials that make troubleshooting home repairs a breeze, but there are plenty of duds as well. They may have made a secure fix, only for it to cause even bigger and costlier issues for you.Call a professional if you believe a DIY fix was done improperly or is too big or dangerous to take on yourself. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble and money in the long run.
3 – What Should I Know About my Water Pressure?
Water pressure that’s too low or too high, is always a sign that something is wrong. If you notice problems with your water pressure, take action immediately before bigger problems arise.Whether only one fixture is being affected or the problem spreads throughout your entire home, try to narrow down on what could be the cause. Check your main shut-off valve, pressure relief valve, water meter valve, and the pipes themselves for any defects. Professional plumbers and drain technicians can troubleshoot water pressure issues, so if you’re in over your head (hopefully not literally), call a professional.
Your Water Pressure Explained
Click this link for a video going over the problems high and low water pressure can cause.
4 – How do I keep my drains flowing nicely?
You might think this one is an easy check off your list because the drains in your new house aren’t backing up. Unfortunately, that’s not the only sign something could be going on.Even when your drain is operating normally, clogs may be developing deep within the pipes. Some early warning signs of an oncoming clog are a slow drain or a couple of your faucets are losing water pressure. There may be tiny leaks or clogs setting you up for a dangerous situation soon.
How to Fix a Slow Bathtub Drain
Click this link for a video showing you how to fix a slow bathtub drain.
Do your Best, Then Call a Professional
Owning your first home is stressful enough without having to worry about your plumbing. Being a smart homeowner goes hand-in-hand with understanding your plumbing system. Knowing how to maintain your plumbing system and repair minor malfunctions can help you save hundreds of dollars when they occur.Do you have more questions? Call a professional, licensed plumber and have a plumbing inspection done. If you’re in Utah, Any Hour Services plumbers are here to help. Give us a call or book an appointment here.
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