Plain-English Plumbing Tips From People Who Actually Show Up
No upsell. No scare tactics. Just the field-tested knowledge our technicians use on their own homes — so you can catch problems early, save money, and avoid the kind of midnight emergency we'd rather you never have to call us for.
Seven Tips That Save Homeowners Thousands
Most emergency calls we respond to were preventable. These seven habits catch problems while they're still cheap to fix.
Know Where Your Main Shut-Off Is
The single most important tip we can give. Find your main water shut-off valve before you ever need it — usually near the meter or where the line enters the home. Tag it and make sure every adult in the house can turn it. In a burst-pipe emergency, seconds matter.
Watch Your Water Pressure
Healthy homes run 40–80 PSI. Anything higher quietly stresses pipes, fittings, and appliances and shortens their life. A $10 pressure gauge on an outdoor spigot tells the truth. If you're over 80 PSI, a pressure-reducing valve is a cheap insurance policy.
Treat Drains Like Pipes, Not Trash Cans
Only water and human waste belong in your drains. Grease, coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta, rice, wipes (even "flushable" ones), and dental floss are the top reasons we get called. A strainer in the kitchen sink is the best $8 you'll ever spend.
Flush Your Water Heater Once a Year
Sediment builds up at the bottom of every tank and slowly robs you of hot water, raises your energy bill, and shortens the tank's life. A simple annual drain-and-flush keeps it efficient. If you've never done it, this is the year.
Check Washing Machine Hoses
Rubber supply hoses fail — usually when nobody's home. Replace them with braided stainless steel lines every 4–5 years, and shut the valves off when you leave town. A burst hose is one of the most common (and most expensive) home floods.
Don't Ignore a Slow Drain
A slow drain is a clog forming — it's telling you. Pouring more chemicals on it usually makes it worse by eating your pipes. A professional snaking or hydro-jet now is a fraction of the cost of a backed-up sewer line later.
Place CO Detectors Below Bed Height — Not on the Ceiling
Carbon monoxide is nearly the same density as air, so it doesn't pool on the ceiling — it fills the room and settles to the level where you actually breathe, especially while you sleep. That's why a ceiling-mounted alarm can be seconds too late. Mount CO detectors low, below bed height and within 10 feet of every sleeping area, so the alarm sounds before CO reaches a sleeping person's breathing zone. We test every detector free on every visit — but only the right placement actually protects your family.
A Checklist for Every Season
Your home's plumbing faces different threats as the weather turns. Work through these once each season and you'll stay ahead of the damage.
Fall
- Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses before the first freeze
- Insulate exposed pipes in unheated crawlspaces and attics
- Clear gutters so water runs away from your foundation, not into it
- Service the water heater before winter demand peaks
- Shut off exterior hose bibs and open the bleeder valves
Winter
- Leave faucets on exterior walls at a slow drip during hard freezes
- Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air reach pipes
- Keep the thermostat at 55°F minimum — even when you're away
- Know where the main shut-off is before a pipe freezes
- Never use an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe — use a warm towel or hair dryer
Spring & Summer
- Check the water pressure after a cold winter
- Inspect for slow leaks under sinks and around the water heater
- Test sump pumps by pouring water in the pit
- Look for soggy patches in the yard — a sign of an underground line leak
- Flush the water heater to clear winter sediment
The Do's & Don'ts
The habits we see make the biggest difference — for better or for worse.
Run cold water when running the garbage disposal
Use hot water — it melts grease which then re-hardens in the line
Pour grease into a jar, let it solidify, then trash it
Pour grease down the drain, ever
Use a strainer in every kitchen and shower drain
Rely on chemical drain cleaners that eat your pipes
Let the pros hydro-jet a truly slow line
Force a store-bought snake if you've never done it — you can crack old pipe
Shut off the main valve before leaving town
Leave supply valves open for a week-long trip
Leave a faucet dripping during a freeze
Ignore a water stain on the ceiling or wall
If Something Goes Wrong Right Now
Bookmark this page. When the water's rising, you won't want to be searching.
Burst or Leaking Pipe
- 1Shut off the main water valve immediately.
- 2Open every faucet to drain and relieve pressure.
- 3If near an outlet or appliance, kill power at the breaker.
- 4Mop up standing water to limit damage.
- 5Call dispatch — we'll walk you through the next step while en route.
Sewer or Drain Backup
- 1Stop using all water — sinks, toilets, laundry, dishwasher.
- 2Do NOT run chemical cleaners into a backing-up line.
- 3Keep kids and pets away from the affected area.
- 4Note where the backup started — it tells us a lot.
- 5Call us for emergency rooter or hydro-jetting.
Have a Tip You'd Like a Pro to Check?
Tell us you stand for small business and we'll waive the diagnostic fee. We'd rather help you prevent a problem than profit from one.