Why Does My Home's Plumbing Need Yearly Maintenance?
Maintaining your home's plumbing is essential. Not only does it help keep your home in good condition, but it also helps prevent expensive repairs in the future. Most homeowners don't think about their plumbing until there is a problem, but that's not the best way to approach things. Regular maintenance allows you to catch minor problems before they turn into big ones. In this blog post, Oak Plumbing will discuss why yearly maintenance is crucial for your home's plumbing system.
Annual home plumbing maintenance saves time
Annual home plumbing maintenance saves time in the long run by preventing major problems before they happen. Just like any other system in your home, your plumbing needs regular care and maintenance to function correctly. Without it, minor issues can quickly turn into big, expensive problems. Spending little time on regular plumbing maintenance prevents much time wasted repairing busted plumbing systems. In addition, it helps to prolong the life of your plumbing system.
Annual home plumbing maintenance saves money
Yearly plumbing maintenance can save you a lot of money in the long run. You can avoid expensive repairs or even replacing your entire plumbing system by catching minor problems before they turn into big ones. Investing a little time and money into annual plumbing maintenance is much cheaper than dealing with the consequences of neglecting your plumbing system.
Your home is one of your most significant investments, so it’s essential to protect it. By keeping your plumbing system well-maintained, you can avoid water damage to your home that can be costly to repair. Regular maintenance also helps identify potential problems before they have a chance to cause severe damage. Plumbing problems can cause much damage and be very expensive to repair. Having your plumbing system professionally inspected and maintained regularly can avoid these costly repairs and keep your home’s plumbing in top condition.
Annual home plumbing maintenance heads off problems
One of the most important reasons for yearly maintenance is to catch minor problems before they become big ones. Plumbing problems rarely happen overnight - they usually start small and gradually worsen over time. By catching them early, you can avoid significant damage and repair costs down the road.
Annual home plumbing maintenance is environmentally friendly
You might not connect annual plumbing maintenance and the environment, but anything involving water affects the environment. Consider a leaky faucet. Even with a relatively low leak rate of one drop of water per minute, it only takes less than three days -about 66 hours- to waste a liter of water. If this leakage rate continues, you will waste 34 gallons of water a year! Conserving this water by doing annual maintenance is environmentally friendly -not to mention the money you'll save.
Annual home plumbing maintenance extends the life of your plumbing
Yearly maintenance is an excellent way to protect your investment. Plumbing systems are not cheap and are an essential part of your home. By taking care of them and keeping them in good working order, you can help prolong their lives and avoid the need for costly repairs or replacements down the road.
Another reason for yearly maintenance is to keep your plumbing system running efficiently. Over time, mineral deposits can build up in your pipes and fixtures, leading to clogs and other issues. By having your system professionally cleaned and serviced regularly, you can help ensure that it will continue to run smoothly for years to come.
Annual home plumbing maintenance contributes to your home's value
By keeping your plumbing system in good working order, you can help increase your home's resale value if you ever decide to sell it. A sound plumbing system is worth up to 10% of your home's value. If your system is leaking or otherwise in a poor state, it will impact your property value. If your system leaks, the resulting water damage will also lower your home's value unless thoroughly repaired.
Annual home plumbing maintenance improves water quality and pressure
A water leak can result in low water pressure, affecting how well your faucets and sinks work. By repairing the taps, you can help improve your home's water pressure overall. While plumbing pipes don't last forever, regular maintenance can go a long way in extending their lifespan. Eventually, the metal parts of the pipe will be exposed to rust corrosion which contaminates your water supply. Besides, plumbing leaks create water patches that support bacteria colonies such as legionella, giardia, and cryptosporidium. By catching early enough, you may help avoid significant issues down the road.
If you live in an area with hard water, annual maintenance will help to keep your pipes and fixtures clean and free of mineral buildup. This maintenance will improve the quality and flow of your water and prevent costly damage to your plumbing system. If you have soft water, annual maintenance will help to keep your pipes and fixtures free of sediment that can clog your system and reduce water pressure.
Annual home plumbing maintenance improves air quality
Water leaks from broken pipes and faulty pipes damage the air quality in your house. Mold thrives in moist conditions, so this is an excellent environment for it to grow. Musty, stale air puts a strain on your HVAC system, pushing up energy costs. Poor indoor air quality can aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions. A build-up of dust, mold, and mildew in your home’s plumbing system can contribute to poor indoor air quality. Annual maintenance will help to remove these contaminants from your home’s plumbing system, improving the air quality in your home.
Split drainage pipe caused by ingress of tree roots
Signs that you need plumbing maintenance
- Your drains are clogged frequently
- Your drains often gurgle when water runs through them
- Decreased water pressure
- There is leaking around pipes or fixtures
- Water is pooling around your home's foundation
- Water takes a long time to heat or doesn't heat at all
- Water-using appliances take a long time to work
If you notice any of these signs, it's time to call a plumbing professional for an inspection and maintenance service. Annual maintenance will help keep your home's plumbing system in good working condition, preventing costly repairs down the road.
Plumbing maintenance tips
In addition to an annual inspection and maintenance service, there are a few things you can do to keep your home's plumbing system in good shape:
In the kitchen
Homeowners typically cause kitchen sink blockages by putting food or waste down the drain that shouldn't be there. Never put grease or oils down the sink in this area to avoid clogged drains. Prohibited substances include cooking oils and fats, such as butter, that can congeal in the pipes, blocking water flow. If you want to avoid a clogged kitchen drain, here's a maintenance checklist for you:
- Food + Disposal = Bad. Be sure to turn your water and disposal on before adding food!
- Never put fibrous or stringy food waste down the drain. Bananas, celery, potato peels, and other items that are hard to mince are examples of such materials.
- Allow at least 15 seconds for the cold water to run after the operation. This action assures that food waste is carried down the main line after being cleared from the disposer.
- Run your dishwasher at night to save hot water and maintain good water pressure during the day.
In the bathroom
Following this plumbing maintenance checklist can help reduce or even prevent clogs in your bathroom drain:
- Keep your shower and sink drains flowing by reducing your use of bath oils and installing screens to prevent hair from going down the drain.
- Avoid toilet clogs by not using them as a garbage bin. Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed, in principle. While manufacturers label tampons and other flushable items as such, it is unwise to trust them.
- Wait about 10 minutes between showers to keep consistent water pressure and hot water throughout the day. Maintaining proper water pressure prevents your home's plumbing system from being subjected to undue stress.
- Steer clear of hazardous chemical clog removers that can do more damage than good. These substances can eat away at your pipes!
Convinced? Get annual home plumbing maintenance with Oak Plumbing today!
We formed Oak Plumbing to provide outstanding customer service, care for the community, and return expert plumbing to the market. Your family's safety is of the utmost importance to us here at Oak Plumbing. That importance is why the Oak Plumbing staff uses cutting-edge plumbing technology while maintaining our family principles. All of our experts are licensed and background-checked, so you can be confident that only reputable plumbers will be working on your plumbing. We're ecstatic that most of our customers leave five-star reviews, so don't wait to reach out to us!
