Special offer

A little reminder

By
Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Absolute Realty

Hello Everyone:

I am Realtor in Delaware County Pa. I am also a Master Plumber . This is the time of year I try to remind family , friends and clients to do    a little house keeping on their own plumbing system to help maintain that things are in working order and no surprises can catch them when they have   trouble with there plumbing.

1) One thing no one thinks of is the valves in there home until they need to shut down the domestic water due to a leak or a minor repair. Valves need to be exercised a few times ayear. Just like our own bodies if we don't exercise we get tight and stiff and don't work as well.   So a few times a year slowly open and close the valve just to keep it loose and free of debris. If the valve can not shut do not force it, it may be time to have it repaired or a new one installed. If you keep the valves exercised in time of need you will be happy that they work.

2) Another thing I would suggest is to flush your water heater. By shutting off the incoming water to the water heater and attaching a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of ther water heater you can flush out the settlement that has collected in the years time. Buy doing this you can save money your no longer have to heat through the settlement in the bottom of the water heater tank to start to heat the water with in the tank . It is a money saver in 2 ways you no longer waste money heating your water and it keep the tank clean.

3) Simple task put food coloring in the toilet tank let it sit for a hour or so and then look in the bowl. If you see the food coloring in the bowl your tank is losing water . Yor flapper may need to be changed in the tank very simple job and a flapper for most toilets run less then ten dollars.

There are alot of small things a home owner can do to look after your plumbing system. If you do not feel comfortable doing the task your self call a local plumber and I'm sure they be glad to help you .

Betsy Schuman Dodek
Washington Fine Properties - Washington DC Area Real Estate - Potomac, MD
SearchPotomacHomes.com

Thank you for the great plumbing tips! These are great to pass on.

Jan 25, 2010 02:21 PM
Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

DEFINATELY GREAT TIPS!  Particularly because I have had to have my plumber come twice to fix pipes that I didn't turn off and drain the valves to - he finally just turned off the water in my unheated garage! Yes, I should have known better!

Jan 25, 2010 02:24 PM
Don Wixom
RE/MAX Executives Nampa, ID - Nampa, ID
"Looking out for your next move..."tm

Great tips Jeff!  I need to flush my water heater...  Do you just hook up a hose (in the garage) and turn on the faucet?

Jan 25, 2010 02:26 PM
John Thomas
E3 Green HOMES - Boulder, CO
EcoBroker, MSEE, MBA

Great tips Jeff and easy to implement. I like the one with the food coloring most. I may give it a try at my place...Thanks

Jan 25, 2010 02:37 PM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Great advice Jeff.   Thanks.

Jan 26, 2010 02:07 AM
Jeff Dugan
Century 21 Absolute Realty - Ridley Township, PA

Don

You shut the cold water supply to the water heater. If eletric water heater you need to shut off power to it if gas shut that down. Hook the hose to the bottom of the water heater and drain it , then once it is drained turn the cold water supply back on and let it run through the heater to help remove the settlement that has built up in the tank. Also to help drain the heater open a fauct on the hot side to let air in,

Once you let water run through close the drain on bottom of the heater turn water supply back on and let it fill do not turn eletric back on untill the heater is filled .

Thank Jeff

Jan 26, 2010 08:56 AM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Jeff,

We didn't flush our water heater, as we didn't know to do it.  So last week, we paid to have a new one installed.  The old one had filled up with calcium deposits.

Mike in Tucson

Jan 27, 2010 11:10 PM
Jeff Dugan
Century 21 Absolute Realty - Ridley Township, PA

Mike, Now is a good time to put that on your todo list with a new water heater it can really help the life of the heater as you will not have as much to flush rather then one that has never been done.

Good luck with the new water heater the cost have really doubled in the last 5 years...

Jeff Dugan

Jan 28, 2010 01:31 PM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Great list of tips....thank you for sharing them!

Jan 29, 2010 05:19 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Jeff, wow.  Very interesting post you've got here.  I'm pretty slothful when it comes to this type of stuff.  But even if I have to get someone else to do this stuff, I'm going to take your advice.

Jan 29, 2010 06:25 AM
Ann Hayden 636-399-7544
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties-St. Louis Missouri - Des Peres, MO
SelectAnn.com

Jeff,

So valves need exercise?  I never knew!

Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO

Jan 29, 2010 02:35 PM
Jeff Dugan
Century 21 Absolute Realty - Ridley Township, PA

Ann;

Yes just like us if they do not move they can tighten up and not work but a vavle is cheaper too replace then a knee...lol

Jeff Dugan

Springfield , Delaware County Pa

Jan 29, 2010 02:41 PM
Ann Hayden 636-399-7544
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties-St. Louis Missouri - Des Peres, MO
SelectAnn.com

Jeff,

I think that depends on the plumber......;-)

Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO

Jan 29, 2010 03:03 PM
Jeff Dugan
Century 21 Absolute Realty - Ridley Township, PA

Ann;

I am sorry to tell you but plumbers i think are are worst then car sales men ..lol just being honest

Jeff Dugan

Jan 29, 2010 03:06 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Good advice! I'm fortunate to have a husband who is a retired home builder. He knows - and does - all that kind of "stuff" so I don't have to worry about any of it.

Jan 31, 2010 05:13 PM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Jeff - Flushing water heaters... for those who live withwells and septics flushing your tanks should be on a must do list

Feb 01, 2010 05:12 AM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Those are some really good tips to save water and other expenses.  I'll be sure to let my hubby know.... haha.

Feb 01, 2010 07:50 AM