If you’re a homeowner, then perhaps one of your biggest fears is the notion of one day finding yourself faced with a serious plumbing emergency. From a household leak to a lack of hot water, a plumbing emergency, no matter what it might entail, is pretty much guaranteed to be costly, stressful, and logistically unpleasant. Therefore, if you’re looking to avoid a situation where you have no choice but to frantically dial the number of the local plumbing company in the middle of the night and hope that somebody answers, then there’s a potentially easy solution. By having a plumbing checkup, you’re more likely to spare yourself the hassle of eventually dealing with a plumbing problem.
A plumbing checkup is actually similar to a checkup that you’d get at your local physician’s office. Just as the goal of a medical checkup is to ensure that your body is in good shape, so too does a plumbing checkup serve the same purpose. Blair Harris is the director of Sales and Marketing at A&R Mechanical Services, a locally owned, full service Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning company that has been serving the Amarillo, Texas area since 1992. To her, it’s a good idea for the average homeowner to get a plumbing checkup once a year.
By bringing in a professional to thoroughly examine your plumbing setup, you could save yourself a fair amount of money and aggravation in the long run. If a methodical inspection reveals the beginnings of a potential issue with your plumbing, then your plumber will be able to nip the matter in the bud before it causes a major problem. Therefore, even though you may have to pay for your plumbing checkup, the money that you’ll spend on a detailed inspection will more than make up for itself in the event that your plumbing professional does spot a problem.
So what does a plumbing checkup typically entail? According to Harris, the specifics can vary from company to company, as some plumbing professionals are known to be more thorough than others. Generally speaking, a plumbing checkup should involve examining the ins and outs of a given plumbing system to ensure that it is operating properly. One of the more important things to check for during any type of preemptive inspection is leaks or potential leaks. To this end, a plumber will usually check all water stops and plumbing fixtures to ensure there are no leaks, drips, or loose handles. A plumbing checkup will also usually examine a home’s water heater, drains, sewer, garbage disposal, and gas fixtures. Additionally, it is typical for the person performing a plumbing checkup to inspect all the household toilets to ensure that they are working properly, as well as any outdoor items connected to plumbing lines, such as sprinkler valves and hoses. Finally, a plumbing checkup might also include a water meter inspection to make certain that it is operating as it should be.
Although owners of new construction homes might be able to get away with avoiding the plumbing checkup route for a number of years, in most cases, it’s a good idea to bring in a professional annually. After all, plumbing systems, over time, do have the ability to succumb to eventual wear and tear, so those with older homes are especially advised to have their setups inspected accordingly.
If you’re a homeowner and are looking to avoid the aggravation of one day having a plumbing problem on your hands, then now is as good a time as any to bring in a professional for a plumbing inspection. Remember, just because you don’t happen to be noticing an issue with your plumbing now doesn’t mean that a problem isn’t brewing beneath the surface. By getting a plumbing checkup, you’ll be doing your part to ensure that your plumbing won’t come back to bite you financially and logistically. And although you might have to pay a bit for that inspection, it’s hard to put a price tag on home-related peace of mind.
