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Staying Dry And Protecting Your Investment - Tips For Home Plumbing Maintenance

8 June 2015

Marvin Simmons

Whether you're a new homeowner enjoying your first space or a grizzled veteran who has seen all manner of emergencies, plumbing concerns can always remain vexing. Burst pipes, sluggish faucets, inaccurate hot water heaters, and other common concerns can significantly interfere with your quality of life, and you need to be prepared to handle those issues as they arise.

Below, you'll find a guide to some steps you should take to help maintain the plumbing in your home. Following these suggestions should allow you to avoid the most serious potential breakdowns while simultaneously guaranteeing that you receive the performance and response that you desire.

Be Proactive

Home maintenance can seem overwhelming at times, and since plumbing is such a specialized task, it can be easy to let repairs get pushed down a to do list. Many people are willing to deal with a leaky faucet or pipes with a great deal of condensation because they're unfamiliar with fixing those issues and unaware of the potential dangers they represent.

Taking proactive steps to address problems as soon as you notice them is an important part of maintaining your home's plumbing. If the simple maintenance that you're comfortable performing doesn't address the problem, don't hesitate to call in a professional. Repairs are far less expensive when they're done outside the context of a crisis.

Locate Your Shutoff

In the event that a major plumbing emergency occurs, you need to be able to prevent water from continuing to flow. Every appliance that's hooked into your plumbing has a shutoff valve located on it, and being able to locate that valve can allow you to quickly prevent water damage from spreading.

You should also know where the shutoff valve is located for your home. This will allow you to close off the source of major pipe failures and flooding, allowing you to avoid cleaning up large quantities of water that could do serious damage to your home and possessions.

Prepare For Cold Weather

Freezing water and contraction of metal that happens during cold weather are some of the biggest enemies of any home's plumbing. If you live in a climate where the cold is a common concern, it's important that you take the necessary steps to protect your plumbing. Installing sufficient insulation around your pipes is one vital step, but simple tasks such as removing exterior hoses and placing weather tight caps over spigots can also help guarantee that cold air doesn't penetrate your plumbing too deeply.

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