Home maintenance is a lot of work. You need to pay attention to minor and major details that can mean the difference between cheap DIY repair and costlier professional repair work. The idea of home maintenance is to prevent things from falling apart earlier than they should. Remember, as that cliché goes, prevention is always better than any kind of cure.
When it comes to plumbing, however, a lot of things can go wrong with your taps, toilets, sinks, drains and water heater. To prevent emergencies from happening, here are some useful plumbing preventive maintenance tips:
Set Up a Simple Plumbing Maintenance Schedule
One of the best ways to keep plumbing woes at bay (and your bank account safe from surprise repair bills) is to stay organized with a preventive maintenance schedule. Don’t worry—this isn’t as intimidating as it sounds. The trick is consistency and a dash of common sense.
Start by setting a recurring reminder on your wall calendar, your favorite app, or even just a sticky note on the fridge. Make it a habit to walk through your home monthly or seasonally—whatever fits your schedule best. As you make the rounds, keep an eye out for:
- Dripping or leaky faucets
- Slow-draining sinks or tubs
- Toilets that run longer than they should
- Exposed pipes with signs of condensation or wear
- Odd noises from your water heater
Keep a notebook (or a running list in your phone) of anything that seems off. Small issues can turn into big problems if ignored—think of this checklist as your plumbing “health log.”
Set time aside, maybe at the beginning of every month, to check off each item. This small investment of time pays off in fewer emergencies and helps ensure everything flows smoothly (pun absolutely intended).
By being proactive, you’ll help extend the life of your plumbing and avoid having to call in the pros for pricey repairs.
Inspection vs. Repair: What’s the Difference?
You might wonder if there’s much of a difference between calling a plumber for an inspection and calling for repairs. Here’s the scoop: when you hire a plumber for an inspection, you’re getting a pro to look over your plumbing system for hidden issues—sort of like getting a yearly check-up at the doctor before anything hurts. They’ll spot potential trouble before disaster strikes, saving you from bigger headaches down the road.
On the other hand, hiring a plumber for repairs means you already know something’s wrong. Maybe there’s a mysterious drip, a leaky pipe, or that dreaded gurgle from the drain. In this case, they’ll be zeroing in on the trouble spot and fixing it right away, rather than casting a wide net for preventive maintenance.
- Look for signs of rust or corrosion – rust is never a good thing where plumbing is concerned. Rust can often lead to bad leaks and contaminated water. Check your pipes and fittings for signs of rust every month or so.
- Check for signs of leaks – If there are leaks, you could be having trouble with rust as well. Leaks can be caused by a lot of things, like a rusty pipe or fitting, a dislodged pipe, or even a cracked pipe. When water freezes inside the pipe, water expands outward. Pipes’ integrity is put to the test when water expands until it is no longer able to sustain the frozen water.
Watch for Drips: Common Faucet and Showerhead Leaks
Leaky faucets and showerheads may seem harmless, but they’re notorious for wasting more water than you’d think—and silently boosting your monthly bill. Usually, these leaks come from everyday wear and tear on the tiny parts inside your fixtures.
Some of the usual suspects behind those persistent drips include:
- Worn-out washers: The soft rubber washer that seals off water flow can flatten or crack over time, letting water sneak through.
- Troublesome O-rings: An O-ring forms a tight seal around moving parts (like your faucet handle). When it breaks down, leaks often follow.
- Corroded valve seats: Corrosion builds where the spout meets the body of your faucet, eventually causing water to seep out.
To catch—and fix—these leaks early, make it a habit to:
- Examine your faucets and showerheads every month for drips, even the slow ones.
- Turn the tap off and look for moisture around the handles. Handles, oddly enough, are expert tricksters when it comes to sneaky leaks.
- Peek under your sinks while the water is running. If you spot damp spots, pooled water, or discoloration, act before the damage worsens.
Catching leaks early means you’ll save money, protect your plumbing, and avoid water damage headaches down the line.
Drip Faucets During Cold Weather
An often-overlooked preventive tip is to let your faucets drip slightly during the winter, especially if you live in a region where temperatures drop below 20°F for more than a few hours. Why does this matter? When water sits still in pipes and temperatures dive, that water can freeze and expand, putting intense pressure on the plumbing. This can lead to cracked pipes and—as anyone who’s had a burst plumbing line can testify—major headaches and costly repairs.
To safeguard your pipes, focus on faucets connected to pipes that run against exterior walls or through unheated spaces like basements or crawl spaces. These spots are most at risk for freezing. A slow drip helps keep water moving, which lowers the chances of it freezing solid. Don’t forget showers and tubs—dripping each fixture in bathrooms, kitchens, and any room with plumbing will cover your bases. And, if your house has more than one level or separate plumbing runs, let at least one faucet drip in each section of your home.
A little trickle of water in the winter can save you thousands in repairs come spring thaw—and offer terrific peace of mind when Old Man Winter comes calling.
- Check for sink integrity and drainage speed – You can do this as a 2-in-1 preventive measure. Checking for your sink’s integrity can also determine how fast it drains. A clogged drain will mean that drainage takes longer and may cause leaks if the clogs are not removed. This goes for sinks in bathrooms and kitchens.
- Water pressure check – Leaks and frozen water are two of the main causes of low water pressure.
- Inspect the toilet – Toilets are our home’s plumbing lifeline, flushing down filth and waste effectively. Parts, however, will eventually malfunction and you may begin to see leaks. If you want to test for signs of leaks, add coloured dye to your toilet’s tank and flush the toilet. If coloured water runs out on the base of the toilet, the you have a leak.
What to Expect: Plumbing Inspection Costs and Timeline
Now, you might be wondering what it actually takes—not just in effort, but also in dollars and time—if you need a professional to swoop in for a plumbing inspection.
A standard plumbing inspection, which usually involves a thorough check of pipes, fixtures, water heaters, and drains, generally costs anywhere from $100 up to $1,400. The price tag can swing quite a bit based on the size of your home, your location (big-city plumber rates versus small-town specials), and just how extensive the inspection needs to be. For most average-sized homes, expect to land somewhere closer to the lower end.
As for how long it takes, most routine inspections fit snugly into one to two hours. Of course, if there are hidden gremlins—think hard-to-reach pipes or mysterious leaks—the pro may need a little extra time to track everything down. Bigger homes or plumbing systems with more bells and whistles can stretch that timeline a bit longer.
In short: A little investment in a plumbing inspection today can save you the headache (and wallet-ache) of an emergency repair tomorrow.
What Could Plumbing Repairs Cost?
Now, if you’re wondering just how much money staying vigilant can save you, here’s a rough idea of what plumbing repairs might set you back if you let things slide:
- Appliance repairs – Budget anywhere from $100 to $250 for fixing kitchen or laundry appliances, depending on the part and labor required.
- Drain cleaning – Clearing a stubbornly clogged drain often runs between $150 and $350, with the price affected by how tricky it is to access and clear the blockage.
- General plumbing repairs – For the everyday fix—a leaky pipe, new fittings, or a misbehaving faucet—expect an average bill of about $330. Catch a problem early, and you might pay as little as $100; let it grow and you could see the invoice climb to $950 or more.
- Emergency services – Got a late-night flood in the bathroom or an overflowing kitchen sink? Emergency calls typically start around $300 and can go up to $400 (or higher), especially after hours.
Staying on top of maintenance might not be exciting, but it sure beats the alternative—scrambling for a plumber and your checkbook during a crisis!
Seasonal Care for Outdoor Plumbing Fixtures
When fall rolls around and temperatures start to dip, it’s a smart move to give your outdoor plumbing some attention. Start by turning off the main water supply to outdoor faucets, hoses, and sprinkler systems. Drain any remaining water to prevent it from sitting in the pipes, which can freeze and cause nasty bursts come winter.
For extra protection:
- Disconnect and store garden hoses.
- Cover outdoor spigots with insulated covers.
- If you have a sprinkler system, follow the manufacturer’s winterization process—this could mean blowing out the lines with compressed air, especially if you live in colder climates like Sydney.
A little preparation here saves a lot of headache (and costly repairs) when spring rolls back around.
It doesn’t take a lot of work to follow these plumbing preventive maintenance tips. The goal here is to spot problems long before they become worse.
