Prevent Plumbing Problems with These Tips

by Thomas Kraeutler

A couple of months ago, my wife and I stayed up late getting ready for our daughter's Christening the next day. We just finished cleaning the house and getting the food ready when our dishwasher decided it needed a new way to drain - all over our kitchen floor.

Plumbing problems happen to the best of us and sometimes there's not much we can do to prevent them. However, with a little know-how and some basic home maintenance tips, homeowners may avoid costly repairs.

The pipes that make up your plumbing system can be divided into two categories - supply plumbing takes water from the street to the faucet and waste plumbing returns "used" water to the sewer system. To keep in tip-top shape, each set of pipes needs the following maintenance:

Check Main

The main water valve is the most important part of your system. This valve controls the flow of water into your house. If a leak ever occurs, knowing the location of this valve can prevent thousands of dollars in damage. To locate your main water valve, find the water meter installed by the utility company. The valve is usually on the side of the pipes feeding into your house. Test the valve by turning on a faucet somewhere else in the house and then turn off the main valve. Even though the faucet is still on, all water flow should stop. If the valve is stuck, leaks or does not turn off all the way, have it replaced by a licensed plumber.

 

Leak Detection

Plumbing leaks can sometimes be difficult to detect. A pipe that is slowly deteriorating may not show up until a big burst occurs. However, there is a little trick you can use with your own water meter to catch little leaks before they become full-scale floods. Just before you go to bed, make sure everything that uses water in your house is turned off. Then, locate your water meter, find the display and write down the exact number of gallons used. The next morning, check the meter again. If the display has changed, you've got a leak. One place where leaks are commonly found is the toilet. Flush valves will sometimes leak and waste lots of water. To check your toilet, before bed, open the tank and pour a little food coloring inside. Wait overnight and then check the bowl. If the dye shows up in the bowl, you probably need a new flush valve, which costs about 2 bucks in most hardware stores and is easy to install yourself.

 

Frozen Faucets

Freezing weather is the biggest cause of wintertime plumbing problems. When the thermometer drops, keep sink and vanity cabinet doors open to warm the pipes. Also, make sure outside hose faucets are turned off and drained for the winter by loosening the brass cap on the side of the valve. Insulate any supply pipes that are exposed in a crawl space or on an outside wall of a basement to avoid frost damage. If the pipes do freeze, call a plumber or use UL Certified heat tape to thaw them. If you'll be away from your house for an over-night trip or longer, consider turning off your water at the main valve. Most homes don't need the valve left on if no one is home and any leak that happens while you're away will be stopped by the lack of water pressure on the pipes.

 

Washer Woes

The rubber hoses which connect your clothes washer are weak links in any house plumbing system. These hoses can dry out, burst, and allow thousands of gallons of water to spray into your home. To avoid this mess, get yourself in the habit of turning off the washer supply valves every time you are done with a load of clothes. If your valves are hard to reach, you can have them replaced with a single-lever turn off. This self-contained valve operates both hot and cold water supply valves with a single switch.

 

Leaky Waste

Leaks in waste piping can be unsanitary. Check pipes carefully for leaks by running water and watching the drains. Old homes often have cast iron or steel drains that can rust out, crack and leak. When making a home repair that involves opening up walls or floors, always take the time to upgrade any old pipes before closing the house up.

Preventing plumbing problems is a participation sport. Taking the time to check your system now can help you avoid taking one bath you didn't count on!

Tom Kraeutler is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight when their basement floods. He earned his home improvement stripes as a professional home inspector, amassing over 20 years experience learning how houses are put together, and how they fall apart! Tom appears regularly on CNN, MSNBC, The History Channel, HGTV and the DIY Network. He's a columnist for House Beautiful and do! Magazine and his work has been featured in Smart Money, Reader's Digest and in hundreds of daily newspapers across the nation.