Wouldn’t it be great if you could purchase your home and never have to worry about problems with your plumbing or any other system therein? Unfortunately, no system in your home is everlasting. Every system degrades over time.

While you are sure to experience plumbing problems in your home, it doesn’t mean that you can’t help to ensure that they are less frequent. You can ensure fewer plumbing leaks and avoid disaster in your home by applying the tips below.

1. Decrease your water pressure

Water pressure that exceeds 85 psi can cause damage to your plumbing system. Your plumbing system’s valves, joints and other fixtures have to work much harder to hold in that pressure. They will therefore succumb to wear and tear much faster. You will find that you experience leaks more often if your water pressure is high.

It is important to get your water pressure below 85 psi. However, it should not go below 40 psi as this will not be enough to run your washing machine, take a relaxing shower or even give your hands a quick clean. You can have a professional plumber measure the water pressure and reduce it. Another option is to measure the water pressure yourself using a hose bib gauge. You can then lower the water pressure by installing a pressure regulator.

2. Insulate exposed water pipes

If you live in an area that experiences harsh winters, it is important to protect your water pipes by insulating them. Insulating exposed water pipes will protect them from freezing and bursting when the water inside them freezes.

Inspect your home for exposed water pipes. Ensure pipes in parts of the home that aren’t heated such as the basement, crawlspace, garage or attic are insulated. There are various insulating options available including fiberglass sleeves, rubber, foam or electric heating tape.

3. Soften the water

Plumbing leaks can happen when there is a lot of buildup in your pipes. This buildup can restrict water and cause water pressure to increase. Magnesium and calcium in hard water are the most common culprits of buildup. Buildup resulting from calcium and magnesium sediments can also corrode pipe fittings and joints over time.

Inspect your pipes for white chalky buildup. This is a sure sign that you have hard water. You can effectively counteract the effect of hard water by installing a water softener.

4. Upgrade water supply lines

Another common cause of water leakage is the wearing out of water supply lines to appliances and fixtures. These supply lines should be replaced often to prevent leakage. You can take this a step further by upgrading the supply lines to steel braided versions. These types of supply lines are more durable. They don’t easily crack and never rot like rubber hoses do.

Inspect your sinks, washing machine, toilets, freezer and dishwasher. Replace rubber supply lines with steel lines for your peace of mind.

Plumbing leaks can result in costly damage to your home. Follow the tips above to prevent leaks and ensure your plumbing system works efficiently.