Owning a home comes with costs beyond your monthly mortgage payments. You also have maintenance and repair costs. Some repairs like when you need to call a plumber in Denver, CO can quickly become expensive.
Did you know you can take some steps to help reduce your overall plumbing costs? This way, you have more money in your budget for other projects like sprucing up your yard.
How to Keep Your Plumbing Costs to a Minimum
If you’re looking for ways to make homeownership a little more affordable, a good place to start is with your plumbing.
1. Regular Maintenance is a Must
Scheduling regular plumbing maintenance isn’t free but it’s also cheaper than repairing a problem. How often should you schedule preventive maintenance appointments? Most industry experts recommend scheduling a service call at least once a year.
A thorough plumbing inspection can pinpoint any potential issues before they blow up completely and become far more expensive problems to deal with. The plumber will look at everything from your connections to any signs of stress on your water pipes, and your drains and fixtures are also part of a routine plumbing inspection.
2. Don’t Ignore Potential Problems
A small leak under your sink probably doesn’t seem like a big deal. After all, a small bucket catches any water drops and the leak only pops up when the faucet is turned on. This isn’t a big deal, right? Unfortunately, what starts as a small leak can easily turn into a flooding problem.
Instead of ignoring small problems you can live with, contact a licensed plumber. Repairing a small leak is a minor cost compared to dealing with a flooded house. Now you’re paying for plumbing repairs and water remediation services.
3. Open Up Plumbing Access
If you have a previous plumbing bill lying around, take a look at the itemized costs. You should expect to find a significant portion of the bill is due to labor costs. Now take a look at the access to your home’s plumbing. How easy is it for a plumber to work on your plumbing? If your plumbing is tough to reach, you’re probably spending more on labor than the repair.
An easy way to cut down on plumbing costs is to install an access panel or two. Placing the panels where your plumbing is located means service technicians aren’t spending time cutting through your walls to access the pipes. The access panels are relatively cheap and you can find them at almost any home improvement store. Installing access panels can even be a DIY project, saving you even more money.
4. Pay Attention to What Goes Down the Drain
Sink drains can make a handy trash can for all types of small items. Unfortunately, drains aren’t designed to handle a lot of everyday household items. Your drains connect to your home’s main drain line, typically located in front of your home. When the main line is clogged, repairs are usually expensive.
So, what doesn’t go down the drain? The list is extensive but includes things like oil and fat that can eventually congeal and form large clogs. You also want to stay away from dropping coffee grounds and eggshells down your sink drain. Even if you run the garbage disposal, these items can still cause problems.
You may be tempted to grab a bottle of drain cleaner. These over-the-counter products can dissolve smaller clogs, like ones made from fat, oil, or grease. Some even take care of hairballs, but this easy fix can also cause problems. Drain cleaners can be caustic and eat away at your drain pipes, especially if your home has older plumbing.
5. Keep a Plunger Handy
A cost-effective way of resolving some plumbing problems is to use a simple plunger. You can find inexpensive plungers at home improvement and grocery stores. If the store sells drain cleaner, chances are, plungers are in the same aisle.
Using a plunger to unclog a drain is a quick and easy solution to minor clogs. However, this method usually only tends to work when the clog is closer to the drain itself—if the clog is further down the pipe, you’re probably going to need to call a professional plumber.
Insure Your Home’s Plumbing
Along with keeping up with routine inspections, you may also want to read through your home insurance policy. Some policies cover certain types of plumbing repairs and this can result in significant savings.
Something to keep in mind is most insurance carriers aren’t going to cover major problems you ignored when they’re small issues.
