Here is What You Should Include in Your Plumbing Checklist

A regular checkup on your plumbing systems is necessary to prevent more damage affecting your house and way of living. Overlooked problems will tend to cause severe injuries that will cost you a lot on repairs. With this, you're going to need a thorough plumbing checklist.

Rooms such as the bathroom and kitchen are your key areas to check on. These are the places that usually contain many plumbing fixtures. Of course, other sites should also not be left unchecked. 

Here's what you have to include on your checklist to know how to pass plumbing inspection.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are one of the most commonly utilized areas in your establishment, so problems around this place may be more constant than you think it is. Here are some areas you need to do thorough checking:

• Faucets- Check your tubs, toilet, and sinks regularly for leaks. If you notice slight problems like dripping faucets, always remember to change bad washers or cartridges. To avoid significant damages, you can consider installing watertight wall access doors like our BA-ADWT-PC where your main water pipes are. The purpose of access doors is that you can efficiently conduct regular checkups to avoid damages to your pipes.
• Drains- Ignoring problems causing drain clogs is one of the bad habits that ruin your plumbing. Regularly clean your gutters with boiling water to avoid any further blockage. Remove fallen hair strands, or you can install a drain blocker to prevent unwanted debris from being clogged inside your drains.
• Toilets- You can remove the tank lid of your toilet to check the flush. If it continues flushing after an end of a flush cycle, this can waste much water. When you notice your toilet is rocking back and forth when you sit on it, or if water is leaking out of it, it may be because the wax ring that seals your toilet to the drain has worn out. Therefore, you must replace it as soon as possible.
• Caulk seals- When the caulking around your tub fails, it can allow water from a bathtub or shower to get through the walls and under the floors. The resulting water damage can be massive. Although caulk seals may not consider as a "plumbing" area, you can add this to your checklist for regular inspection.

Kitchen

To avoid major problems with your plumbing fixtures in the kitchen, make sure you get them regularly checked. Here are the sites you should focus on this room:

• Sink drains- The sink is where we prepare meals and clean out utensils before and after use. You might want to check your sink strainer because this is where leaking's usually occur. The P-trap fittings might also need some tightening. When the strainer basket begins to leak, a replacement is required. A sink that drains slower than usual may clog in the P-trap or branch drain. Additionally, the fittings can be dismantled and cleaned out.
• Faucets- Leaky faucets are the most common plumbing repairs in the kitchen area. This problem may be an easy fix, but once it is left unattended, it may waste more water and cause an increase in your water bills.
• Dishwasher- If your dishwasher is slow to fill, it may have minor damage to the water hose or the shutoff valve that controls the machine. Check the water discharge hose for clogs or pinching if the dishwasher drains slowly.
• Refrigerator- You should regularly replace your filters from your water dispenser and icemaker from your refrigerator. A clogged filter can jam the water flow to the icemaker.

Septic and Sewer

A severe problem comes when there is a block or stoppage in the main sewer line. If left unattended, this can lead to potential health issues. The only way to prevent this is through regular maintenance. Here's a list you can follow to avoid severe damages to your septic and sewer system.

• Inspect the septic system regularly.
• Pump out tanks if they're full.
• Hire a sewer service for an annual snaking of the pipes.
• Inspect vent pipes.

With these practical guidelines, you'll never miss a problem during the inspection of your plumbing system. For more blogs and tips about plumbing, be sure to visit Best Access Doors now, where we also provide quality access doors for your plumbing needs. Call us at 1-800-483-0823 for more details.