The best way to prevent major plumbing problems is yearly plumbing maintenance, smart day-to-day habits at sinks and toilets, and addressing small leaks quickly. The most expensive plumbing failures — slab leaks, burst pipes, sewer collapses, water-heater floods — almost always start as small issues that were ignored for too long.
Prevention habits
- Schedule an annual plumbing inspection
- Don’t pour grease, oil, or food scraps down the drain
- Use a hair-catcher in every shower and tub
- Flush only toilet paper — no “flushable” wipes
- Check under sinks monthly for slow leaks
- Insulate pipes in unheated spaces before winter
Annual checkups catch most issues while they’re cheap to fix. Schedule a plumbing inspection, fix any active leaks with leak detection, and consider the Mainstream Maintenance Plan for automatic visits.
