What Do Plumbers Do During Annual Maintenance Appointments?

Your plumbing is working great. Your drains are draining, your toilets are flushing, and you have not noticed any leaks. If you're in this situation, you might assume it would be silly to have a plumber out for a general maintenance appointment. But actually, this is exactly the time to have maintenance done — when things are working well! To better understand why this is the case, take a look at what a plumber will typically do during a maintenance appointment.

Lubricate valves

Unfortunately, most homeowners do not realize that their plumbing valves are seized until there's an emergency; they need to close the valves, and they can't. Your plumber will check all of the plumbing valves to ensure they all turn freely. If any of them are stuck or sticky, your plumber can apply a penetrating lubricant to cut through the mineral deposits and get the valve working again.

Check for tiny leaks

You have not noticed any leaks, but that does not mean you don't have any. Leaks often begin a drop at a time and can remain that way for months or years before a pipe bursts or starts spewing more water. Your plumber will use tools like an infrared thermography device to detect these tiny leaks so they can fix them before you also have a lot of water damage to fix.

Clear grime out of drains

Your drains may all flow freely, but that does not mean there's nothing inside of them. It is common for drains to accumulate soap scum and other grime over time, but you only have an actual clog issue once this grime manages to grab onto enough lint and hair to block the pipe. Your plumber can use a piece of equipment called a hydro jet, which forcefully shoots water into the drain, to clear away this grime and prevent actual clogs from happening.

Check safety features on sump pumps and washing machines

Your washing machine, sump pump, and other appliances all have various safety features. A washing machine, for instance, should have a mechanism that keeps it from discharging extra water if the drain it's emptying into gets blocked. A plumber can look over all of these safety features to make sure they're working well, which will help prevent major problems later on.

Even if your plumbing is working well, a plumbing maintenance appointment is a good idea. It's better to take care of your home's plumbing than to wait for it to break down.


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