As a homeowner, there are few things as frustrating as a clogged toilet, a leaking faucet or a loose showerhead. It’s probably even more frustrating to start off the new year (and new decade) with these problems. Prevent these plumbing issues by following Acree’s plumbing maintenance checklist for the new year. This little guide will help you tackle these problems before they become bigger – and more costly to fix.
1. Look in These Places for Leaks
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average household’s leaks account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted per year. To prevent this from happening, homeowners should be proactive about them, especially in places where leaks are common.
- Toilet
Toilet leaks can occur because of a variety of reasons. One of them can be caused by a deteriorated flapper, which is the seal between the toilet tank and bowl. When you pull the flush lever, the flapper lifts and water is released from the tank into the bowl. If the flapper is old, water still might be leaking through. To tackle this leak, all you need to do is replace the flapper. You can find a replacement at your nearest home improvement store.
- Faucet
Leaky kitchen or bathroom faucets are caused by either worn gaskets, washer, o-rings or cartridges. To fix this, you will need to replace the damaged components. Make sure you know the right brand before you find a replacement.
- Showerheads
You can fix leaky showerheads by tightening the showerhead to the shower stem. If are having difficulty securing it, use Teflon tape to tighten the showerhead further.
2. Garbage Disposal Maintenance
One of the most effective ways of practicing garbage disposal maintenance is by ensuring you don’t dump harmful items down the drain. Coffee grounds, egg shells, grease and large bones should not go down the disposal. You can also clean out your disposal by pouring half a cup of baking soda into the drain and a cup of distilled vinegar on top. After letting the mixture sit for up to 10 minutes, you can rinse it out by pouring hot water down the drain with the disposal running.
3. Check Caulking
Caulking is a sealant that stabilizes the base of a toilet, tub, kitchen or bathroom sink. However, constant exposure to water can cause deterioration. Make sure the caulking around your tubs, toilets and sinks has not worn out—if it has you might need to reapply caulking.
4. Check Drains
Make sure your drains don’t have any clogs, as blockages can cause water to drain slowly. Check your tub, sinks and disposal to see if there are any blockages. To clear out blockages near the surface of the drain opening, you can simply use a gloved hand to clear them. However, if the clog is further down the drain, you can use the baking soda and vinegar mixture we mentioned above, drain snakes or Drain-O.
Start 2020 Off with Acree!
We hope this plumbing maintenance checklist was helpful. If you have any more questions about how you can prevent or tackle plumbing problems, get in touch with the pros at Acree! Call us today at (813) 530-9061 or schedule a service with us online!
