Homeownership comes with a to-do list, and your plumbing belongs on it. Skipping regular maintenance is one of the most common ways homeowners end up with expensive water damage — and most of it is preventable. About fifteen minutes a year can save you thousands in repairs. Here are the simple checks you can do yourself to keep your home’s plumbing working the way it should.
Exercise Your Shut-Off Valves Once a Year
Once a year, turn every shut-off valve in your home fully off and then back on — the ones under each sink and toilet, the valve at your water heater, and the main valve where the water line enters your home. Valves that never move corrode and seize in place. We’ve seen homeowners reach for a shut-off during a leak only to find it completely stuck — right when they needed it most. Exercising them once a year keeps them ready for the day you actually need them.
Clean Your Faucet Aerator
If a faucet’s flow is weak or spitting, the culprit is usually the aerator — the small screen on the tip of the faucet. Mineral deposits and debris build up there over time. Unscrew it, rinse it clean under running water, and screw it back on. It’s a two-minute job that often restores full pressure right away.
Know Where Your Main Water Shut-Off Is — Before an Emergency
In a burst-pipe situation, every second of running water is more damage to your floors, walls, and belongings. Don’t wait until you’re standing in it to go looking for the valve. Find your main water shut-off now — it’s usually where the water line enters the house or out at the meter — so you can stop the flow fast when it counts.
Check for a Silent Toilet Leak
A running toilet doesn’t always make noise, and a silent leak can quietly drive up your water bill for months. Here’s an easy test: put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait about fifteen minutes without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper is leaking and should be replaced. It’s a cheap fix that pays for itself.
Before the First Freeze, Protect Your Outdoor Faucets
Central Texas winters can turn cold fast. Before the first freeze, disconnect your garden hoses and cover outdoor faucets with insulated caps. A hose left connected can trap water that freezes and bursts the pipe inside your wall — one of the most expensive and avoidable plumbing failures we see.
Or Let Us Handle It
These checks are simple enough for most homeowners — but if a valve is already seized, your pressure hasn’t come back, or you’d just rather leave it to a pro, we’ve got you. Central Texas Plumbing Solutions is right here in Waco, and our maintenance plan goes further than any DIY checklist, covering the work you want a licensed plumber for:
- Water heater flush and inspection
- Whole-home plumbing inspection
- Drain camera and cleaning
- Replacing worn valves and supply lines
It’s the difference between hoping your plumbing holds up and knowing it will.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I do plumbing maintenance?
A quick once-a-year check of your shut-off valves, faucet aerators, and toilets takes about 15 minutes and prevents most common water-damage surprises. For everything you can’t see, a professional whole-home inspection once a year is well worth it.
Why won’t my water shut-off valve turn?
Valves that never get used corrode and seize in place. If yours won’t budge, don’t force it — a stuck valve can snap and cause a much bigger leak. A licensed plumber can replace it quickly and safely.
How do I fix low water pressure at one faucet?
Most of the time it’s a clogged aerator — the small screen on the tip of the faucet. Unscrew it, rinse out the debris, and screw it back on. If the pressure is still low, give us a call and we’ll check the line.
Talk to a Licensed Waco Plumber
Keep your plumbing working for you, not against you. Call Central Texas Plumbing Solutions to schedule your maintenance today — licensed Master Plumbers serving Waco and Central Texas, residential and commercial.
