New Home Maintenance Checklist for Faucets

Your home inspection returned no significant concerns for the plumbing. Now that you are moving in, you need to know that each faucet will function as you expect it to do. This handy checklist helps you to identify common problems and make sure your faucets are in good working order as you get settled in.

Check for Leaks

When you go through each room of the home, turn on all the faucets, let them run for 15-20 seconds and turn them off. Each faucet should turn off completely, without any dripping. Water should run fully, with a consistent flow. Look under the sink to make sure that there is no leaking or dripping. If you see signs of water damage on the cabinet bottom, you should consider hiring a Sacramento plumber to service your pipes and ensure that there is no other water damage. A dripping faucet or a faucet that seems like it will not shut tightly may be a sign of external corrosion or broken internal components.

Clean Aerators

The most likely problem you will encounter with faucets in your new home is a clogged aerator. The aerator acts much like a filter that accumulates debris and minerals in the water. If the home does not have a water softener, the aerators will get clogged more quickly. The longer you leave it, the more you risk corrosion of the faucet and an increasingly poor water dispensing capability. Aerators are usually pretty simple to twist off, clean and return back to the faucet. If the aerator is severely scratched or is hard to remove, you may need to replace it.

Look for Signs of Corrosion or Damage

Remember that the outside of each faucet is merely a hint of what might be going on under the surface. A quality faucet with a worn finish may last much longer than a clean, shiny faucet with a cheap internal body on its last legs. The life expectancy of a faucet depends on the original quality, installation and upkeep. Low-quality materials, such as plastic, will break down far more quickly. Look for signs of cracking or internal wear, which usually accompany leaks and other functional issues. Upkeep also determines how long a faucet will last. Since you may not truly know how the previous homeowner took care of the faucets, you may want to plan to replace them sooner than later.
Moving into a new home could be much more stressful if the faucets stop working. Once you have completed this checklist, you will know if you need to arrange for plumbers in Sacramento to attend to your faucets. For expert service in all of your plumbing needs, contact Ace Plumbing.