Mechanical Plumbing Preventative Maintenance

Ask any business or homeowner and he or she will tell you the importance of conducting regular plumbing preventative maintenance. If you think routine inspections are costly and unnecessary, wait till you have a burst pipe on your premises. In extreme cases, your business might experience a complete shutdown due to plumbing issues.

Make Some Minor Upgrades to the Interior of Your Home for the Best Selling Price

When you’re ready to sell your home, it’s important that you take a close look at it and make some minor changes that could significantly increase the amount of money you will get from the sale. Many small issues that could drive down the price are simple to correct and are things that you may have simply overlooked and learned to live with.

For example, if you have any broken or cracked windows, now is the time to make sure that they are fixed. The same goes for fixing doors or windows that don’t shut properly or making sure that locks and doorknobs are all in good working order. Things that might seem insignificant can make a big difference to a potential buyer.

Other important factors that can drive up the sale price of your home include making some minor upgrades to the interior of your home. Most buyers are not looking for a home that needs work. They want something that is ready to move into immediately. This means that freshening up the paint with a neutral color cannot only brighten the interior of your home, but it can also give potential buyers a blank slate that they’ll likely find much more appealing to work with. Of course, any time buyers see your home as more appealing, they’re going to be more apt to offer a higher price.

Ask any business or homeowner and he or she will tell you the importance of conducting regular plumbing preventative maintenance. If you think routine inspections are costly and unnecessary, wait till you have a burst pipe on your premises. In extreme cases, your business might experience a complete shutdown due to plumbing issues. And we don’t need to inform you about how costly such a scenario is.

Not only are you likely to incur huge repair or replacement costs, but if production comes to a halt, then it’ll also affect your triple bottom line. So how do you avoid all this inconvenience? By ensuring you have a mechanical plumber that regularly visits your premises for routine plumbing maintenance.

Preventative Maintenance Plumbing Checklist

While we strongly recommend that a qualified mechanical plumber regularly conducts preventative maintenance, it’s in your best interests to personally understand how the water system works. This knowledge puts you in a better position to also play your part in preventing plumbing problems.

The first thing you need to understand is what exactly makes up the water system. This is basically every system on your premises that uses water and includes the following:

• Bathroom sinks
• Kitchen sinks
• Refrigerator
• Washing machine
• Toilets
• Showers

And now for the maintenance tips. Use them to avoid the plumbing situation from getting out of hand.

Fix Leaks

A few drops from a leaking shower are pretty harmless, right? Not really. A leak—no matter how small—is never a good thing. Failure to attend to leaks in time will unnecessarily add to your water bill. And if left unattended, the leak is likely to worsen over time.

To avoid water damage make sure you regularly check for the following:

• Check your faucets regularly for leaks
• Inspect handles to ensure there are no water drips
• Check under the sink for water stains or drips when the water is running

Unclog Drains

Whenever you notice that the water in your sink is draining slowly, it’s an indication that your drain is clogging up. Then it’s a good idea to unclog your drain immediately. Don’t wait till the water isn’t moving at all.

There are a few home remedies you can implement to prevent the situation from worsening. A common remedy is to mix vinegar with hot water and pour it down the drain. This will help loosen debris and get the water moving quickly again.

You can pour this mixture every couple of months to avoid clogging.

Check for Water Stains and Puddles

Have you noticed any water stains on your bathroom ceiling? Then it’s time to call in your mechanical plumber. You must regularly inspect your home for any water stains, especially on your walls and ceiling.

Also, it’s a good idea to engage the services of a plumber if you notice any puddles of water in your kitchen or bathroom. If you use a water heater, then you can consider placing a tray underneath the unit. This will significantly reduce the extent of water damage if a leak is to occur.

Drain Your Water Heater

Still, on the subject of a water heater, you must make sure that you drain it regularly. The drainage process will help remove sediments to ensure optimum performance. It’s highly recommended that you drain your water heater at least one or twice a year.

Fix Your Leaking Toilet

Not all toilet water leaks are complex. Sometimes it only takes fixing a faulty seal around the valve seat to stop leaking. Apart from leaks, your toilet can also be affected by clogging. To avoid this, make sure you—or your family members—don’t throw foreign objects down the toilet. While you may not be the culprit, maybe your children have a different story to tell.

While on the subject of flushing items down the drain, you must also be wary of liquids you pour down the toilet. Some liquids may be reactive and will negatively affect the pipes.

Clean the Shower Head

Cleaning your shower after a bath is probably part of your daily routine—or at least it should be. But don’t concentrate on the shower door and floor, you must also clean the shower head.

Once in a while, you can remove and clean your shower head to remove any debris or sediments.

Doing so will improve the water pressure so that it doesn’t damage the pipes.

Check Hoses for Cracks

Inspect your hoses regularly for any signs of leakage or brittleness and replace them where necessary. Also, make sure there are no leaks whatsoever.

Pump Your Septic Tank

If you own a septic tank, it’s advisable to have it pumped regularly so that it functions optimally. If you can also schedule regular inspection of the unit, that’d be ideal for early detection of any problems.

Conclusion

As you may have noticed from the above tips, you don’t have to wait for the scheduled maintenance date. Being proactive when it comes to your water systems will always work in your favor.

If by any chance you suspect that your plumbing system isn’t operating as intended, don’t hesitate to call the plumber. Even so, make sure you don’t skip any inspection dates. After all, regular plumbing preventative measures will save you a lot of money in the long run.

With that said; when is your next plumbing system inspection?