Lawrence Plumbing Tips For Homeowners

Maintenance in Lawrence is about load and about winter. Century old plumbing carrying rental occupancy wears faster than the same plumbing in a family home, empty periods between semesters let small failures run unwatched, and the Kansas freeze finds every line on a partly buried wall.

Know Where Your Main Shutoff Is

Every homeowner in Lawrence should know exactly where their main water shutoff valve is and confirm it actually turns. In an emergency every second counts. If you cannot locate it or it is corroded and stuck have a plumber address it before you need it. It is one of the simplest and most important things you can do to protect your home.

Watch Your Water Bill Every Month

Watch your Lawrence water bill month over month, and if you own a rental compare the quiet months between semesters, because that is when a genuine leak shows most clearly against almost no legitimate usage. In an occupied house a running fixture can hide inside normal consumption for a long time.

A sudden increase with no change in usage almost always means a hidden leak. Our leak detection service in Lawrence finds the source fast before water damage compounds.

Do Not Ignore Slow Drains

Drain habits matter more in a Lawrence rental than in most houses, simply because more people are contributing to them. A camera inspection of the lateral is worth doing between tenancies, since that is the one window when the property is empty and the work inconveniences nobody at all.

A slow drain is the earliest warning sign of a blockage building. Clearing it early costs far less than clearing a full backup. Our drain cleaning team serves Lawrence and Douglas County.

Flush Your Water Heater Once a Year

Flush your water heater every year in Lawrence, ideally before winter, since the incoming supply is cold for months. In a rental, look at whether the tank is genuinely sized for the number of people using it, because an undersized unit fails early no matter how diligently it is maintained.

An annual flush extends tank life and keeps energy costs down. Learn more about water heater maintenance in Lawrence.

Never Put Grease Down the Drain

Grease cools and hardens inside your pipes regardless of whether you run hot water with it. Over time it builds up and catches everything else that goes down. Use a container and throw it in the trash instead. This single habit prevents a significant percentage of kitchen drain calls we get in Lawrence.

Check Under Sinks Regularly

Under sink leaks in Lawrence start at the connection points, and in century old houses those shutoffs are frequently original and seized. In a rental it is worth checking them between tenancies, because a valve that will not close during an actual leak means shutting off water to the whole house.

A quick check every few months catches small drips before they become cabinet damage or mold. If you find a leak our pipe repair team in Lawrence can fix it fast.

Know When to Call a Pro

The DIY line in Lawrence is generous on winter preparation and fixture parts, and landlords do well to handle both between tenancies. Where it stops is century old pipe and anything buried, because an original valve will shear rather than turn and the hillside makes excavation its own problem.

Some things are worth attempting yourself — a running toilet flapper, a slow drain you can snake. Anything involving your main line, water heater, or pipe repair behind walls is a job for a licensed plumber. Call PRO Plumbers of Lawrence in Lawrence any time you are not sure.

Call PRO Plumbers of Lawrence Now
(785) 347-8794