Plumbing Tips For New Home Owners

Buying a first home is an exciting and huge milestone in one’s life. But we must remember all the components of a home that require maintenance and care, so that it remains beautiful and running smoothly as a whole. Today, at 1st Choice Plumbing Heating & Drain Service, we would like to share some small but essential plumbing tips that every first time home owner should know.

How to check for Leaks

Plumbing Tips For New Home Owners

Run the water in a part of the house and check all the visible pipes in the house for dripping water.

We cannot stress this enough, leaks may seem like a small plumbing issue that can be “fixed” by placing a bucket under the leak and collecting the water. While this may stop water damage, this creates a huge waste of water and will show up in you water bill as an added expense. We highly recommend checking not only your faucets and toilets, but also: the hose to your washing machine, your shower heads, the hose to your refrigerator (if it dispenses water it will have one), under the sinks and any visible pipes.

How to check your drains

A clean drain will allow for water to flow down into it very efficiently. Any delay in the flow, can indicate some sort of partial clog or blockage. If not tended to it could lead to a full blockage that will be more inconvenient for you and your family.

How to locate your shut off valve

Hopefully you don’t experience a burst pipe in your home, but it’s always better to be prepared. Before you even move into the house or as soon as possible, learn exactly where your water shut off valve is. This is essential because life is unpredictable and shutting off the water to the entire house when you have a major leak or a burst pipe will lessen the impact of water damage in your home until a plumber arrives to fix it.

How to wrap your pipes

If you live up north and in an older house, please consider wrapping your pipes to avoid freezing. Frozen pipes are prone to bursting and worst case scenario will cost you thousands in property damages and repair. You can wrap them in cloth or visit your hardware store for many materials that you can wrap your pipes in.

How to learn about your heating system

Do a little research and learn the make and age of you heating system. This will make it easier to predict potential problems and will allow our plumbers to understand the exact problem and how to fix it if there ever is one.

How to take seasonal preventative measures

If it’s spring and you have central air or an AC unit, have it checked and maintained for cooling before the summer heat. If it’s fall or even late summer, have your heating system inspected and repaired to prevent the cold getting into your home before the winter. You’ll thank yourself for taking these measures and save yourself the trouble of being too warm in the summer or too cold in the winter should anything go wrong.

For more information about us at 1^st Choice Plumbing Heating & Drain Service or for more tips for first time home owners, please call us today at 201-288-0390. One of our plumbing experts will be happy to speak to you.