Do I need an annual plumbing inspection?

Because most plumbing damage starts small and quiet. The EPA's Fix a Leak Week page says the average household's leaks can add up to "more than 9,300 gallons of water wasted every year," and that "nine percent of homes have leaks that waste 50 gallons or more per day." A yearly check finds those leaks while they're a worn flapper or a loose fitting, not a stained ceiling.

It also catches problems that don't leak at all. Water pressure that creeps up strains every valve and hose in the house. In Phoenix, the city says pressure "greater than 80 psi requires action by the home or business owner as it can damage your water pipes and appliances." Sediment in a water heater and scale in faucets build up slowly too, and you'll only notice them by looking.

A thorough check covers the whole system, from the meter to the sewer line.

### What does the EPA say to check each year?

Its home maintenance page lays out the homeowner jobs:

• Leaks. Read the water meter, then read it again two hours later with no water in use. If the reading has changed, "you probably have a leak in your home."
• Pressure. Fixtures work best at 45 to 60 psi. Much higher, and a professional can adjust or install a pressure reducing valve.
• Water heater. Flush it once a year and check the temperature and pressure relief valve "at least once a year." The EPA adds that "it may be best to hire a professional to service your home's water heater at least once a year."
• Toilets. Do a dye test "at least once a year," and replace flappers "at least once every five years."
• Water softener. Clean the brine tank once a year, and "hire a professional to service your system once a year."

Our yearly plumbing maintenance checklist puts all of this on a schedule, and our guide to doing your own plumbing checkup walks through it room by room.

### What happens if you skip a year?

Usually nothing dramatic right away, which is why it's easy to skip. The problems a yearly check catches grow slowly:

• A worn toilet flapper leaks silently into the bowl. The EPA says flappers wear out, which is why it suggests the yearly dye test and a new flapper at least every five years.
• Water heater sediment keeps settling. The EPA says a yearly flush reduces "sediment buildup which can decrease efficiency."
• A salt bridge, a hard crust of salt, can form in a softener's salt tank. The EPA says to watch for bridges and break them up.
• Rising pressure from a failing regulator strains every hose and valve in the house, with no sign until something gives.

Skipping one year rarely causes a flood. Skipping five often means several of these stack up at once.

Only partly, and only once. A home inspection happens when you buy, and its plumbing section has clear limits. Under InterNACHI's Standards of Practice, the inspector runs the water at the fixtures, flushes the toilets, checks that sinks, tubs and showers drain, and looks at the water heater and the main shutoff.

The same standards list what the inspector is not required to do, and it's a long list. It includes:

• Determine the "flow rate, volume, pressure, temperature or adequacy of the water supply."
• Measure the water heater's "capacity, temperature, age, life expectancy or adequacy."
• Inspect water softener or filtering systems.
• Operate any valve.
• Determine "whether there are sufficient cleanouts for effective cleaning of drains."

The sewer line isn't in the standard plumbing list either. A sewer camera inspection is usually a separate service. So a clean inspection report is a good start, not a lifetime pass. Our pages on what a plumbing inspection covers when buying and whether to get a sewer scope before buying cover the purchase side.

A plumber's visit is most worth it when one of these applies:

• Older plumbing. Older supply pipes, drain lines and water heaters are closer to the end of their service life. Our page on common plumbing problems in older Phoenix homes covers what to watch for.
• High water pressure. A reading near or above 80 psi, or a pressure regulator that's failing. See the signs a pressure regulator is going bad.
• Trees near the sewer line. The City of Phoenix says plant roots are "another frequent cause of sewer backups and overflows," after grease. Phoenix owners are responsible for the sewer line from the house to the city main. Our guide to the signs of tree roots in a sewer line helps you spot trouble.
• A history of leaks or clogs. A drain that keeps clogging, or a past slab leak, is a reason to look closer.
• A home that sits empty. Snowbirds and second-home owners have no one to notice a drip for months. Our snowbird plumbing checklist covers leaving the house.

If none of those apply and your own checkup comes back clean, a yearly water heater and softener service plus your own checks may be all you need.

Mostly tools and experience with what failing parts look like. A plumber can:

• Test and adjust the pressure regulator, or replace it if it won't hold.
• Service the water heater, including the relief valve and, on gas models, the burner and venting.
• Run a camera through the sewer line to find roots, sags and cracks before they cause a backup. Our page on what a plumbing camera inspection can find explains the process.
• Track down a leak your meter test found but you couldn't locate. See how plumbers find hidden leaks.

HQ Plumbing & Air checks and services home plumbing across the Phoenix area, from pressure regulators and water heaters to sewer camera inspections and leak detection. We're available 24/7, licensed and insured, and every visit starts with a free estimate and upfront pricing. See our residential plumbing services.

A yearly look, by you or a plumber, is simple insurance against the leak you'd otherwise find the hard way.