How To Prevent Your Home Plumbing Pipes and Hot Water Tank From Leaking
Without taking proper care of your hot water tank and home plumbing system, your negligence might make your pipes to succumb to excessive stress that will make the entire system develop leaks. Avoiding plumbing leaks, especially during your absence, is an important factor geared towards protecting your property from water damages. As soon as your home plumbing system generates leakages or even if the stopcock of your hot water tank cannot cut off your water supply, this could even affect its operational reliability.
Plumbing leaks do not disappear miraculously and due to the costly repair of the resulting structural damage, you should take the following preventive measures immediately.
Maintain Water Pressure at Sensible Levels
Almost all parts of your home plumbing system, such as joints and valves can succumb to increased stress with high water pressure. Evidently, having your water pressure at extremely low levels would pose challenges when taking a shower or cleaning dishes. However, high levels of water pressure do not produce universal advantages because in the long-term, the pipes will strain and gradually lessen the lifespan of your plumbing system to develop leaks.
Regularly Clean the Water Heater
Just like many other kitchen appliances, your water heater needs regular draining and cleaning. Leaks usually develop when sediments accumulate in your water tank to develop rust. The rust can spread quickly to develop leaks, especially if you live in a region supplied with hard water. Furthermore, the rust can eventually lead to health risks as you constantly drink and cook with the water. A professional plumber can examine your water tank for rusts and advice you if you need it replaced.
Insulate Your Plumbing Pipes
Pipe insulation stands out as one of the leading techniques of preventing your pipes from leaking. Even though you can perform this procedure yourself, it is important to consult a professional plumber for a perfect job because it is also a time-consuming process for an amateur. Apart from preventing leaks in your plumbing system, insulating your pipes also comes with an energy saving benefit. Insulating plumbing pipes functions in a similar manner as loft insulation or cavity wall by preventing the transfer of heat. As such, it will maintain the temperature of water in the tank and cut down your energy bills for long periods.
Identify the Position of the Pipes
Knowing the exact position of your plumbing pipes will help you avoid leaks triggered by people who might nail the wall without initially checking the location of the pipes. You might go through a nightmare when you accidentally drill through your pipes. You should purchase a stud sensor that effectively helps you to locate your pipes and cables before drilling. You can as well cautiously cut a small opening on the wall to indicate the lead of your plumbing pipes.