In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the signs that you’re a savvy plumbing homeowner. Maintaining home plumbing is a careful balance between homeowners and their trusted plumbers, and having the proper baseline level of knowledge as a homeowner will save you time, money and hassle alike.
At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re proud to assist homeowners to whatever level needed to retain this balance, with services ranging from basic plumbing repairs to drain cleaning, sewer line cleaning, water filtration and numerous others. There are several plumbing areas for homeowners to ensure they at least have a basic working knowledge in – today’s part two of our series will go over a few additional themes that signal you’re up to speed as a homeowner.
Clean Sump Pump
Virtually all modern homes have what’s known as a sump pump, or a submersible device that sits at the lowest point of your home – generally in the basement or a crawl space. The sump pump is present for one primary purpose: Preventing flooding risks.
During heavy rain or snow, the soil around your home will become saturated with water. The sump pump turns on when this saturation reaches a certain point, removing water from the pit area and draining it into a nearby storm drain to prevent flooding. As a homeowner, you should know where your sump pump is and how to clean it, both of which are very simple tasks.
Pipe and Fixture Age and Condition
Another quality a savvy plumbing homeowner will possess is general knowledge of the age and condition of important plumbing fixtures and pipes in the home. Fixtures like water heaters, faucets and toilets are all good to have an eye on here, allowing you to handle their basic maintenance and repair needs more easily – including any occasions where you need to call our plumbers for issues above your skill level.
Emergency Tools
One more vital area to ensure you’re up to speed on here is the presence of proper emergency plumbing tools in the home. All homes should have basic cup and flange plungers, for starters, plus pipe wrenches, a snake or auger for drains, and a hacksaw. It’s likely you won’t use most of these items often or even at all, but you do not want to be caught in a situation where you need them and don’t have them.
Plumber Connection
Finally, no matter how savvy or skilled you are as a homeowner in plumbing areas, it’s an absolute must to maintain a relationship with a reputable local plumber like ours. There will be times where your skills are simply too limited for certain specific jobs, and attempting to perform them on your own will risk not only your safety, but also the quality of your home’s plumbing.
For more on areas that signal a homeowner’s adequate level of plumbing knowledge, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.