Annual Plumbing Maintenance Checklist for Homeowners

Water heater (10 minutes)

• Check the manufacture date on the serial number label. If it's over 10 years old, budget for replacement and prioritize maintenance. Lifespan guide.
• Look for rust stains, corrosion, or pooling water at the base and around fittings. Any rust in the water = anode rod may be depleted.
• Test the T&P (temperature-pressure) relief valve: briefly lift the test lever. Water should flow from the discharge pipe. If nothing comes out or it won't reseat afterward, replace the valve ($15–25).
• Check when the anode rod was last replaced. If it's been over 5 years (or ever), add it to the maintenance list. Replacement guide.
• Flush sediment: attach a hose to the drain valve, run it to a floor drain, open for 5 minutes until water runs clear.

Under every sink (15 minutes)

• Look for water stains, mineral deposits, or warped cabinet flooring — signs of a past or slow leak.
• Check the supply lines (braided metal hoses running from shutoff valves to the faucet). Look for kinks, bulges, or corrosion at the fittings. Replace if over 10 years old or showing wear ($10–20 each).
• Turn each shutoff valve off and back on. If any valve is seized (won't turn or leaks when operated), replace it before it fails during an emergency.
• Check the P-trap for white mineral buildup at the slip joints — a sign the connections are seeping and should be tightened or replaced.

Toilets (5 minutes)

• Dye test: add food coloring to the tank. Wait 15 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl = leaking flapper ($5–15 replacement).
• Check for rocking. A toilet that moves at the base has a failing wax ring — a $10 part, but a leak you don't want.
• Inspect the supply line to the toilet. Same rules as under-sink supply lines.
• Flush and confirm the tank fills completely and stops — a fill valve that runs intermittently wastes 200+ gallons per day.

Exterior and utility (10 minutes)

• Run the water meter leak test. If the meter indicator moves with everything off, you have a leak to find.
• Test your main water shutoff. Turn it fully off and back on. Confirm you know where it is and that it works. Shutoff guide.
• Inspect washing machine supply hoses. Replace rubber hoses with braided stainless if they're original equipment ($20–30 per pair).
• Check exposed pipes in basement, crawlspace, and garage for signs of corrosion, staining, or past leaks.
• Test your sump pump if you have one: pour a bucket of water into the pit and confirm it activates and drains.

Drains (5 minutes)

• Run all floor drains (basement, garage, laundry room) — pour a cup of water down each one to prevent P-trap evaporation and sewer smell.
• Check all drain speeds. A drain that runs slowly but hasn't clogged yet is a clog forming. Address it before it fully blocks. Slow drain guide.
• Check outdoor drains and area drains for debris that will cause backup during rain.

Recommended maintenance supplies to keep on hand

None of these are expensive. Having them means a small problem doesn't become an emergency trip to the hardware store during a leak.

Back to all maintenance guides.