The very last thing you want is for your plumbing to give up unexpectedly, and for you to have to call out a plumber. Maintenance is cheap, but emergency call-out repairs may very well be highly-priced. By understanding how to carry out some basic inspections you can continue to keep your plumbing in tip top condition, and locate any possibly high-cost system failures before they occur. Follow out top ten tips so you're forewarned and forearmed!

1. Top Ten Plumbing
Checks Every
Home owner
Needs to Know
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3. Emergency plumbing repairs can be
expensive...
...but maintenance is cheap.
 Learn a few basic checks, so you can keep your plumbing
system in tip top condition.
 Spot any potentially expensive problems before they
happen.
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4. 1. If you've got a major water leak, you'll
need to switch it off quickly
 In an emergency, don't be hunting round for the tap.
 Make sure the main water cut off is accessible.
 Make sure the whole family knows where it is and how to
use it - just in case.
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5. 2. If you have a water meter, understand
how it works.
 Check it when you know there is no water being used in
the house - the dials should not be moving...
 ...If they are, you might have a leak somewhere in the
system.
 Check your taps and toilet - they are often the cause.
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6. 3. Add a little food colouring to your toilet
tank and leave it for a couple of hours.
 If any has leaked into the bowl, you've probably got a leak
somewhere.
 Check the toilet valves, and that the handle isn't sticking.
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7. 4 Check your boiler and clean out the
sludge.
 Sludge clogs the pipes and reduces your central heating
efficiency.
 Check your boilers' pressure regularly.
 Cleaning out the system is a job for a professional, but
doing your own regular check will help you spot when it
needs doing.
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8. 5 If your toilet is clogged and you think it
might overflow...
 ...lift the lid off the tank and hold the flush valve down.
 This stops the flow of water into the bowl.
 Now you can focus on removing the clog, rather than
worrying about an overflow.
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9. 6. Check your valves regularly.
 If one seizes up unexpectedly, it can cause you serious
problems.
 Turn each one on and off once a year.
 This keeps them working smoothly, and helps you spot
any that might be wearing out.
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10. 7. Know you individual stop valves.
 In most modern plumbing systems there are individual
stop valves for each major appliance – check the inlet
pipes of your taps, toilets, and other appliances.
 These allow you to cut off the supply to a single appliance,
without affecting the rest of the house. Learn where these
are and how to use them, and you'll be able to cut your
water off more efficiently.
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11. 8. Use a plunger!
 The humble plunger is one of the most useful basic
household tools.
 Have one handy for dealing with sink and toilet clogs.
 Ideally one in EVERY room with a major water appliance -
if your upstairs sink is overflowing, you don't want to waste
time hunting through the basement for the plunger!
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12. 9. Keep some basic spares.
 Understand the basic parts that your taps and toilets use.
 Keeping a few spare washers and gaskets in your tool kit.
 If something breaks, you'll already know how to replace it.
 It is easier to understand how a system works BEFORE it
breaks than afterwards!
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13. 10. Consider an auger.
 A rotational tool for clearing pipes and breaking up clogs.
 Much more effective than chemical drain unblockers, and
better for the environment too!
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14. Call us today for a free, no-
obligation quote!
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