Buying a new home is one of life’s great milestones. Home-ownership is certainly something to be proud of. But it also brings new responsibilities, including learning how to identify and fix problems that arise. One component of your new home that you’ll need to become familiar with is the plumbing. At first, it might just look like an intimidating pile of pipes, but once you learn what you’re looking at, repairs become much easier.
Schedule an Inspection
If you are just moving into a home, plan to get your plumbing inspected. This is especially important if you have urgent issues that need to be corrected. After performing an inspection, the inspector will give you a detailed list of items to fix. This helps you budget for and prioritize future plumbing repairs. If you’re planning a renovation or remodel, this is the time to get a water heater permit Las Vegas.
Find the Water Main Shut-Off Valve
If something goes wrong with your plumbing system, you’ll want to know how to prevent a leak from spreading. This is accomplished by figuring out where the main shut-off valve is located. This valve, which turns off the water supply to your entire house, is often located in the basement. Sometimes, it may be located in a crawl space under your home. Either way, locate it in daylight so that you can reach it easily in an emergency.
Keep Shower Drains Clean
Unless you clean the shower drains periodically, debris can accumulate and cause a clog. To really keep the drains clear, you’ll need to hire a professional to come in and do a thorough cleaning. This is also a good time to make sure you have leak and overflow-prevention pieces installed on your bathroom fixtures, such as a bathtub overflow cover plate, which prevents overflows and water damage in case of a severe clog.
Avoid Liquid Drain Cleaner
Today’s market is saturated with cleaning products for your plumbing. But one category to avoid is liquid cleaners. Liquid cleaners can actually cause more harm than good to your plumbing. If you have a difficult clog, it’s best to use a snake to remove it. If that doesn’t work, call a professional.
Fix the Small Things
You might not think much of a dripping kitchen sink or a running toilet. But over time, these seemingly small problems can develop into a much larger issue. Left unchecked, a dripping faucet can cost a lot of money in repair bills. And a running toilet can eventually overflow! Although you might be reluctant to spend money on fixing these issues initially, letting them go will only cost you more in the long run.
Buying a new home is certainly exciting. But it also requires having some knowledge about your home, including the plumbing system. Once you get to know the basics of plumbing maintenance, you’ll be a more confident homeowner and more capable of stopping problems early on. Of course, you can’t always fix every problem yourself. Contact My Vegas Plumber for all your Henderson plumbing needs.
