Your home plumbing system can amount to around 15% of the total value of your home. Keeping that investment operating smoothly will benefit you both in the near term, and down the road.

But where should you start? Below is a checklist of maintenance tips for making sure your plumbing stays healthy. It will also help to raise awareness of potential problems early so that you can avoid the costly result of waiting too long to repair plumbing issues.

Daily tips are meant to prevent clogs. As readers of this blog know, clogs are one of the most common plumbing issues - and can cause any number of problems. A few simple tips and daily care can keep your home free of clogs.

In the kitchen:

• Never put grease or oil down your sink, including cooking oils and fats such as butter. They can congeal and block pipes.
• When running your garbage disposal, always turn on the water before adding any food.
• Allow cold water to run for several seconds after turning off the disposal to flush any remaining food down the mainline.
• Running your dishwasher overnight can help to maintain good water pressure in other areas of the house throughout the day.

In the bathroom:

• Install screens to protect drains from hair and other objects from causing clogs.
• Avoid corrosive chemical clog removal products that can damage your pipes.
• Do not flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper down your toilet.
• Wait between 10 and 15 minutes between showers to avoid unwanted stress on plumbing by maintaining proper water pressure.

Throughout the home:

• Look for evidence of pipe leaks and moisture- such a water stains, mold or musty smells.
• Check for even drainage, bubbles or other signs of problems with the main line of the house.
• Make sure water faucets are not leaking out the handles or under the sink.
• Regularly empty lint traps on washing machines.

If you have any questions regarding plumbing in your home, call McCoy's Heating & Air at 731-668-7492 to have one of our professionals out to take a look.