How do I do my own plumbing checkup?

Just a few things:

• A flashlight for under sinks and behind the toilet.
• Food coloring or toilet dye tablets for the tank leak test.
• A water pressure gauge that threads onto a hose bibb.
• Paper towels, to wipe a joint dry and see if it comes back wet.
• A notepad or phone to list what needs attention.

Pick a time when nobody needs water for a couple of hours, since the first test depends on it.

The meter tells you whether water is leaking anywhere, so it comes first.

Do a meter leak test. Find your water meter, usually in a box near the curb. With no water running anywhere in the house, read the meter. The EPA says to read it again two hours later: "If the reading has changed, you probably have a leak in your home." Start the clock now and do the rest of the checkup without running water inside, or save the indoor steps for after the second reading. Our guide to doing a water meter leak test shows how to read the dial.

Find the main shutoff. You want to know where it is before you need it. If you had a home inspection when you bought the house, the report should say: InterNACHI's standards require inspectors to describe "the location of the main water supply shut-off valve." Make sure you can reach it and that nothing is stacked in front of it. Our page on how to shut off water to a fixture covers the smaller valves too.

Check the pressure. After the second meter reading, screw the gauge onto a hose bibb. The EPA's method is to turn off every water-using fixture, attach the gauge, and open the bibb all the way. It says fixtures work best at 45 to 60 psi. In Phoenix, the city says pressure over 80 psi "requires action by the home or business owner as it can damage your water pipes and appliances." Our guide to what home water pressure should be explains the reading.

Start at the fixture farthest from the meter and work back.

### Kitchen

• Run the hot and cold water. Look for a weak stream, which often points to a scaled aerator.
• Open the cabinet and look at the supply lines, shutoff valves and drain trap. The EPA says to look "under sinks for leaks at pipe connections, puddling, or other water spots."
• Fill the sink partway and let it drain. Slow drainage means buildup in the trap or the line.
• Run the dishwasher's drain cycle if you can, and check under the sink again afterward.

Our guide to common kitchen plumbing problems covers what you might find.

### Bathrooms

• Toilets. Put a few drops of food coloring in each tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, the EPA says you have a leak that can probably be fixed with a new flapper. Then flush and watch it refill. Rock the toilet gently: a loose toilet is on the list inspectors must report as needing correction, along with toilets that leak or have tank parts that don't work.
• Faucets and showers. Run each one. Listen for drips after you shut it off. The EPA says a faucet dripping once per second "can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year."
• Two at once. Run a sink and flush the toilet at the same time. InterNACHI inspectors test "functional flow in two fixtures operated simultaneously." A big drop in flow is worth noting.
• Drains. Fill the tub a few inches and let it go. Watch for slow drains and gurgling.
• Under the vanity. Same check as the kitchen: supply lines, valves and trap.

Our guides to a toilet leaking at the base and fixing a running toilet help with toilet findings.

### Laundry

Pull the washer out a few inches if you can. Look at the hot and cold supply hoses for bulges, cracks or damp spots, and look at the drain box and floor for stains. Our page on how often to replace washing machine hoses covers when to swap them.

The last two stops take about 15 minutes together.

### The water heater

Look it over from top to bottom. The EPA says to check for "leaks, aged gaskets or loose connections/screws, and corrosion." Look at:

• The base and drain pan, for water or rust.
• The relief valve and its discharge pipe. The pipe should run to a safe spot, and its end should be dry. The EPA says to check the temperature and pressure relief valve at least once a year.
• The connections on top, for green or white crust, which can mean a slow leak.
• The label, which lists the heater's age and capacity.

A gas heater also has a vent and a gas shutoff. If you smell gas, don't touch switches or controls. Get everyone out, then call 911 and Southwest Gas from a safe place. Our guides to a water heater leaking from the bottom and a leaking relief valve explain what those findings mean.

### Outside

• Hose bibbs. Open and close each one. Look for drips at the spout and around the handle.
• Irrigation. Run each zone. The EPA suggests checking that sprinklers aren't spraying pavement and that drip lines work without clogs or leaks.
• Wet spots. A soggy patch or greener grass along the path of the water line can mean a buried leak.
• The sewer cleanout. Find it and make sure the cap is on. Our page on what a sewer cleanout is shows what to look for.

In Phoenix, the sewer line from the house to the city main is the owner's to maintain, the city says, and it names plant roots as another frequent cause of backups, after grease. If trees grow near the line and drains have been slow, note it.

Sort your list into three piles.

Fix it yourself. Flappers, aerators, showerhead scale and a loose supply nut are usually quick jobs. The EPA's Fix a Leak Week page says common leaks like "worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves" are "often easy to fix."

Watch it. A slightly slow drain or a heater getting on in years can go on next year's list, with a note on today's condition.

Call a plumber. Some findings shouldn't wait:

• The meter moved during your leak test and you can't find why.
• Pressure reads over 80 psi.
• Water or rust at the base of the water heater.
• Several drains slow or gurgling at once, which can point to the main sewer line.
• Any sign of a leak inside a wall or ceiling.

For a schedule of what to check and when, see our yearly plumbing maintenance checklist.

HQ Plumbing & Air picks up where your checkup leaves off, from hidden leaks and pressure regulators to water heaters and sewer lines across the Phoenix area. We're available 24/7, licensed and insured, and every job starts with a free estimate and upfront pricing. See our residential plumbing services.

An hour with a flashlight now can save a flooded floor later.