Yearly Maintenance Tasks Your Plumber Can Tackle For You

Once a year when spring comes around, most people take some time to re-focus on cleaning and maintenance. Maybe you shampoo the carpets, clean the gutters, tidy up the landscaping, and donate your extras to charity. In this process, it's important not to forget about your plumbing. There's not a whole lot you can do on your own, but you can and should have your plumber come complete these maintenance tasks once a year.

Flushing the hot water heater

Hot water heaters tend to accumulate mineral deposits over time. The minerals settle to the bottom of the tank and remain there until they are removed. These minerals interfere with heating, lower efficiency, and shorten the lifespan of your water tank. A plumber can flush the tank to remove the minerals. This process only takes an hour or less, and having it done once a year is sufficient.

Hydrojetting the drains

Most people wait until their drains slow down to do anything about it. However, even if your drains are still working, there's likely some buildup of soap scum and grease on the interior of the pipes. It will only be a matter of time before hair and fuzz start clinging to the scum and create a clog. If you have a plumber come hydrojet the drain pipes, this will remove the scrum and grease before a full clog has a chance to form. (Hydrojetting involves shooting a powerful stream of water through the pipes to loosen and rinse away any debris.)

Cleaning the aerators

You could certainly do this one yourself, but if your plumber is already there, you can just have them do it. The aerators are the little devices on the ends of your faucet and showerhead. They add air to the stream of water as it comes out in order to increase the pressure and conserve water. Over time, the aerators get clogged with mineral deposits, but your plumber can soak the aerators in a powerful mineral-dissolving substance to remove the buildup.

Lubricating the valves

Another thing to have your plumber do each year is lubricate the major valves in your plumbing system. This should include the water main valve and also the valves on your toilets. This will ensure you can easily shut the valves in case of an emergency — such as a leak.

Having a plumber complete these plumbing maintenance tasks each year will save you a lot of headaches. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of repairs!