Plumbing dos and don'ts that every homeowner should know

Ask a plumber what they'd tell every customer if they had thirty seconds, and the answers are remarkably similar. Most plumbing emergencies come from the same few causes, and most of those are avoidable. Here is the condensed version, grouped by the part of the house where the habit matters.

Do know where your water shuts off

Find the main shutoff valve today, not when water is spraying. It's often in the basement, a crawl space, a utility room, near the water heater, or in a meter box near the street. Turn it fully both ways to make sure it isn't stuck. If it won't move, or it leaks around the stem when you try, a plumber can replace it, and that is far better done on a calm afternoon. Also find the shutoff valves under sinks and behind toilets. A handle that hasn't been turned in ten years often won't turn, or won't seal, when you need it.

Do prepare for the valley's cold snaps

• Disconnect and drain garden hoses before the first freeze.
• Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during hard freezes so house air reaches the pipes.
• Let a faucet drip on the coldest nights if you have pipes that have frozen before.
• Know how to find and shut your main in a hurry.

If a pipe does freeze, thaw it slowly with a hair dryer or a warm towel and keep the faucet open. Never use a torch or open flame. The pipe may already be split, and a quick thaw will show you exactly where.

Don't treat the drain like a trash can

The kitchen sink is not for grease, coffee grounds, rice or pasta. The toilet is not for wipes, even when the package says flushable, nor for paper towels, cotton swabs, dental floss or feminine products. Hair belongs in a catch, not a drain. Every one of those items shows up in sewer line clogs, and a camera inspection leaves little doubt about it.

The good habit is the cheap one. A mesh strainer in every shower and sink. A can for grease. A small wastebasket next to the toilet.

Do flush and look after your water heater

Tank water heaters collect scale and sediment, and the Yakima Valley's water is hard enough to make that a real issue. Draining and flushing the tank on a schedule can extend its life, and a plumber can show you how or do it for you. Also look at the relief valve pipe, which should never drip, and at the base of the tank for moisture. Keep the area around a gas heater clear of storage, since it needs air and clearance.

Don't ignore the small drip

A faucet that drips and a toilet that runs are the kind of things you can live with for months. A drip wastes water, wears the seat, and often turns into a bigger failure. A supply line under a sink with a bulge in the braid, or a rusty compression nut, is a failure on a timer. Fixing small things early costs less and doesn't flood a cabinet.

Don't play with gas or the relief valve

Gas lines, gas appliances and gas logs are professional territory. A small mistake in a fitting can become a safety problem, which is why Burke's Plumbing says plainly that gas and water installations should be done by a professional plumber. Likewise, never plug, cap or tamper with the temperature and pressure relief valve on a water heater. It exists to protect the tank, and a water heater with no working relief is a hazard.

Do get a second opinion on big jobs

For a re-pipe, a sewer replacement or anything involving digging, ask for a written scope, what's included and what's not, and what happens if the crew finds something unexpected. A good plumber is comfortable explaining the plan and showing you the evidence, such as camera footage or the failed part. A plumber who can't tell you why a repair is necessary hasn't finished diagnosing it.

Don't wait on sewer smells and slow main lines

A sewer smell in the yard or basement, or a floor drain that bubbles when the washer runs, is the line asking for attention. Ask about a camera inspection before a clog turns into a backup, particularly before a remodel or bathroom addition, since you don't want to build over a problem you haven't seen.

Do keep a plumber's number where you can find it

Plumbing problems like to arrive at night, on weekends and during cold snaps. Put a number in your phone and on the fridge now. Burke's Plumbing in Selah answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (509) 697-6574, and the family has been doing this work in the valley since 1981.