There are tasks we can do to keep our home’s plumbing system healthy. We will talk through draining the water heater, checking the anode rod, ideal pressure, understanding the pressure valve, shut off valves and more!
Water heater
We like our hot water, for sure. If you stay on top of annual maintenance tasks, it will help to keep your hot water tank working well.
Flush out the tank.
- Hook up a hose to the bib near the bottom of the tank and pull the end outside.
- Open the drain valve on the water heater and open one hot water faucet in the house.
- Close the water heater fill valve and turn off the heating element (for electric heaters, turn off at the breaker; for gas, turn the valve off). Let it drain completely.
- To get the last bit out of junk, turn the fill valve on for five seconds and allow it to drain out. Repeat this last step 4-5 times. Close the valve and refill the tank. Turn the breaker or gas valve back on. For gas heaters, relight the pilot. We don’t suggest testing the pressure valve — leave that to the plumbers!
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Anode rod check.
The anode rod is a ½-inch diameter rod about 30 inches long for most domestic water heaters. This rod acts like a sort of sacrificial metal.
The nasty elements that could attack your metal tank attack this rod instead. Because of this, the anode needs to be replaced every few years depending on the hardness of your water.
Check it annually by looking for a ¾-inch fitting on top of the water heater. Remove the fitting that the rod is attached to and visually inspect any decay. This should be done while the fill valve is closed to the water heater, and the hot side of a faucet inside has been opened to ensure there is no pressure in the water heater or hot water system.
Tip: Homeowners with water softeners should upgrade their anode rod to magnesium, rather than aluminum.
Temperature and Relief Valve (TRV).
There is a small lever-like spring-loaded lever located on the top of the water heater that should be tested.
To test the TRV valve:
- Pull the lever up. Once it is open, water should drain from the TRV line heavily. It should close with some force due to the spring-loaded nature, and it should seat in the closed position. At this point, the water should stop draining through the TRV drainpipe.
If the spring is worn or broken, you need to replace it.
Water pressure
Normal water pressure in a home ranges between 60-75 PSI, (pounds per square inch). The pressure in your home should be monitored to make sure that it is consistent. Higher pressure, over time, can damage your fixtures and piping. High pressure is particularly tough on hot water lines.
Pressure Relief Valves (PRV).
Most new homes will have a pressure relief valve installed. These valves are typically located outside your home where the main water line enters your house. If your home is older than 10 or 15 years, and your home is on city water, installing a PRV can be in your plumbing system’s best interest.
Increased billing from month to month or year over year can signal plumbing leaks.
High water bills
Increased billing from month to month or year over year can signal plumbing leaks. Common causes of leaks are:
- Leaking fixtures. Fixing the flapper valve in your toilet or washers/cartridges in a dripping fixture will save considerable water and dollars. Many times, you can hear the toilet randomly refill with water, as it would typically do after a flush, but at random times. This is an indication of an issue inside the toilet tank.
- Landscape irrigation systems. Just as with any water delivery system, irrigation systems can and do leak. Try to walk your property once a month during the heavy irrigation season and look for wet places that shouldn’t be there. If you are not a DIY person, call your landscape company to investigate and possibly repair any line breaks or disconnections that may cause a leak.
Shut-offs and other valves
There are essential valves throughout your plumbing system. It is a good idea to inspect and exercise these valves at least once a year.
Exercising a valve means turning it on and off at least once to test its operation and effectiveness. Taking the time to test your valves and make sure they are working will be worth your while in the event of an overflowing toilet or faucet leak.
- Main shut-off. The purpose of this valve is to stop all water from flowing into your home. In case of a significant line break, shutting this valve off can save a lot of water damage. This valve is usually located outside your home, where the main water line enters your house. In warmer climates, the valve may be located above ground. In colder climates, it is likely to be underground in a box with a removable cover.
- Turn the water on where you can see it running, then turn the valve off. The water should stop running. If it doesn’t stop or just slows down, the valve is likely defective and will need to be replaced.
Tip: Be careful when you remove irrigation or valve covers in the ground. Moisture builds up inside and attracts insects and reptiles, which are not always compatible with humans.
- Fixture shut-off valves. Each sink and toilet in your home will also have shut-off valves. These are called angle stops. You will find them below your sink, where the hot water and cold water lines come out of the wall to connect to the sink.
- Turn the sink on, both hot and cold, and then turn the knobs on the angle stops off. The water should stop running. If not, or if it just slows down, the valve may need to be replaced. The toilet will have a similar-looking valve behind it, off to the side. Turn it off and flush the toilet. If the tank fills up, then, as with the others, the valve needs to be replaced.
Sanitary piping
Also known as your sewer system, the piping in older homes may be the most vulnerable to leaks and root intrusion.
Older piping can be made of old clay piping, cast iron or even galvanized metal. The joints used to put these types of pipes together can become loose over time and cause leaking or allow for root intrusions that can block the lines. There are ways to inspect those pipes.
Today, technology has advanced to allow us to assess our system with a small camera that is sent down the line with a tether. A handheld screen shows images of what the line looks like. Cameras locate cracks, breaks, roots and anything that impedes flow. The length of the tether will tell you the distance to any blockages, so you or your plumber will know where to dig to fix the problem.
A camera inspection performed annually, particularly where you have a combination of trees and older jointed pipes, is a good idea.
The newer plastic sewer lines can also experience breaks, root intrusions and low spots in pipe. Even if you do not have a blockage problem now, you may want to run the camera to set a baseline for future inspections. This type of test can also be beneficial when buying a home.
For older homes, understanding the condition of your sanitary piping can help you budget for future repair or replacements that may be necessary. In some cases, homes with entire systems made of failing cast iron may need to be completely re-piped. It is beneficial to be able to budget for a large repair of this nature years in advance, rather than to be blindsided by it.
Rosie on the House is a free homeowner resource. Listen to our broadcast every Saturday on KNST from 11 a.m. to noon. Ask questions at info@rosieonthehouse.com.
