Home Plumbing Maintenance Practices That Help Save On Costs

Save On Costs

Regular and timely maintenance of your home plumbing system helps extend its life span and save on water and electricity costs. More importantly, it helps prevent more costly disasters that often happen without warning, sometimes with irreversible consequences that leave you with no choice but an entirely new plumbing system.

Even with the absence of any indication that something is wrong and whether your plumbing system is old or new, it is good plumbing practice to have your home plumbing system thoroughly checked by a licensed plumber at least once a year. What is a few hundreds on savings if you are able to save thousands on major repairs that could have been prevented?

The scope of maintenance work will depend on the age, type, design and condition of your home plumbing system. Plumbing pipes are the main components of any plumbing system and they are usually interconnected within kitchen sinks, bathrooms, toilets, laundry rooms, basement floor drains, water supply tank and septic tank or sump. Smaller components, such as hoses, taps, showerheads, valves, fittings, joints, O-rings, gaskets and every nut and bolt, should likewise be inspected. Modern plumbing tools, like a plumbing video camera, are now able to see through hidden parts like underground drains and sewer pipes to detect any cracks, misalignments, excessive vibrations or other signs of trouble.

Timely preventive inspection is necessary because unexpected breakdowns are not only costly but disruptive and messy. A few hours without water is annoying enough but a whole day without it is devastating. Even under normal use, there are serious problems that are not readily observable. For instance, if water pressure is not maintained to a desirable level, the risk of backflows from drain pipes is high. Waste water from drain pipes meeting with clean water poses health problems and this will mean additional costs on health care.

Careful use and handling of water facilities like taps, shower heads and toilets also help protect these facilities from the effects of daily wear and tear. Taps and shower heads should be regularly cleaned of mineral or soap buildup to prevent obstructions. Loosened toilet fittings should be replaced immediately to avoid water wastage and added water bills. Threaded tap handles and shower valves should not be closed too tightly as to destroy the threads and cause unwanted drips.

Being a major investment and part of any home, the plumbing system needs to be maintained by proper handling and regular cleaning. Regular preventive measures are lesser hassles to contend with than major plumbing accidents.



By Peter Strouden 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6278720