Preventive Maintenance
A Simple Seasonal Plumbing Checklist
A short routine, a few times a year, that catches most plumbing problems while they're still small.
Why a routine beats a deep clean
Plumbing failures rarely happen without warning. A supply line weeps for months before it bursts. A water heater rumbles for a season before it leaks. A sump pump sits unused until the storm it was supposed to handle. Ten minutes of looking, a few times a year, catches most of it.
Every few months
- Look under every sink with a flashlight and a dry paper towel
- Check the washing machine and dishwasher hoses for bulges, cracks, or dampness
- Test the sump pump by pouring water into the pit and watching a full cycle
- Run water in rarely used fixtures to keep traps filled and prevent sewer odor
- Check the water heater's pan and the floor around it for moisture or rust
Before cold weather
- Disconnect and drain garden hoses from exterior spigots
- Insulate accessible pipes in crawlspaces, garages, and unheated areas
- Seal obvious gaps letting cold air onto pipes
- Confirm you know where the main shut-off valve is and that it turns
Worth having a professional do
Some maintenance genuinely belongs to a licensed plumber: flushing a water heater, descaling a tankless unit, checking water pressure, servicing a backwater valve, and inspecting an aging sewer line with a camera. These are routine visits, not emergencies, and they're much cheaper scheduled than urgent.
General educational information. Plumbing codes and licensing requirements vary by state and locality.