Plumbing Tips

• Everyone in the home should know where the main water shut off is located and how to shut it off in case of an emergency.
• Stop valves are the water shut off valves near each toilet and faucet. Familiarize yourself with their location so you can get the water turned off in an emergency. Stop valves should be turned on and off at least once a year to make sure they are operational.
• Laundry valves should be in the closed position when not in use. This will eliminate the possibility of major water damage if a hose breaks.
• Avoid rainy day basement flooding by checking your sump pump regularly to make sure it is working. Simply dump a 5 gallon bucket of water into the pit to trigger the pump to see if it starts and pumps water. Keep the sump pit free of trash and debris.

• Use your water meter to check for leaks by monitoring the usage dials when there is no water flow in your home. Dials that are not moving indicate there are no leaks. Dials that are spinning indicate you may have a leak and are wasting water. Toilets are the first place to look for un-noticeable water flow.
• Check a toilet for leaks by removing the tank cover and adding a few drops of food coloring to the water in the tank. Wait about 30 minutes to see if any of the color is apparent in the bowl. Color in the bowl indicates the toilet has a leak and the flapper should be replaced.
• Install low flow shower heads to cut down on water usage. Water saving shower heads have a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute, compared to 8-10 gallons per minute for older shower heads. This could save up to 75 gallons of water in a 10 minute shower. There is also a savings in the cost of energy to heat that water.
• A few quarts of water should be drained from the drain valve on the bottom of a water heater monthly to prevent sediment build up and to help extend the life of the heater.
• Garden hoses should be removed from outdoor or frost-free faucets in the fall of the year, prior to freezing temperatures, to prevent the faucet from freezing and breaking, causing water damage to your home.
• Frozen pipes can be a real problem in the winter. Leave the cabinet doors open on fixtures that have a tendency to freeze during cold weather. Allowing water to drip from faucets during cold weather may help because moving water resists freezing; however, you increase the risk for drain line freeze ups.
• Turn the water on before you begin grinding food in your garbage disposal. Allow water to run a minute after you shut off the disposal to allow it to be flushed out.
• Properly maintain your garbage disposal by using cold water at all times when disposal is operating. Never pour drain cleaners into your disposal. You can clean your disposal by grinding ice cubes and lemon peels to freshen.
• Drain orders can be treated by running very hot water down the drain. Pour a handful of baking soda and hot water or 1 cup of vinegar down the drain about once a week to keep odors in check. Let is stand for about an hour and then flush with hot water again. Avoid putting grease down the drains which will help with odors.