Our plumbing is not just about the pipes that deliver clean, safe, potable water into our homes. What’s just as important as our water delivery infrastructure are the appliances that use this water. Water in the home has a variety of different purposes beyond just coming out of a tap to be used in cooking. We clean ourselves, our clothes, and even our dishes with water, but we do so through different types of hardware. And while we can often rely on our pipes to serve us for decades, and keep on servicing the families that may come after us in our homes, the same is not always true of the other hardware that uses water. Let’s take a look at some of the more common pieces of equipment.
Plumbing Equipment You May Wish to Replace:
- Water heater. A central part of any home is the water heater. Without this, there are no more hot showers or baths, and you have to take your clothes to the laundromat if you want to wash them in warm water. Keeping your water heater in good shape with regular maintenance can make this equipment last decades in the home. In most cases, minor repairs like fixing the pressure relief valve are all it takes, but if you spring a leak, or see discolored water coming out of your hot water taps, this means it’s time to get a new heater.
- Kitchen sink. Under ordinary circumstances, you won’t usually need to replace a kitchen sink at all. These are durable pieces of hardware that often stand the test of time. However, if you’re renovating your kitchen, you’ll probably want a new sink to go with it. On the other hand, if you’re experiencing problems with other portions of your sink, such as leaky tap, or water leaking out of the drainage pipe, these go beyond cosmetic issues and need a replacement.
- Shower top. Everybody’s got different preferences for the perfect shower, so it’s not all that surprising you might be looking to replace your shower top. If you’re not happy with the water pressure coming out of your shower and would like it to be higher pressure, a new shower top replacement is the perfect solution. New models can adjust the pressure at the shower itself, rather than requiring you to turn up the water pressure throughout your entire home, just to get a high-pressure shower. This affords more people in the home with options for getting the shower they want.
- Washing machine. The washing machine often goes unnoticed, as its typically stowed away in the basement, but it’s also a machine that works very hard with the water it gets. If your machine is over ten years old, that’s probably reason enough to consider replacing it. Other, more obvious signs, however, are things like your washing machine actually moving out of place! If you notice that your washing machine is now leaking or moving on its own, or you’ve just got an older, top-loading model and want something more efficient, think about getting a replacement.
Every home in Gloucester County, NJ has these water fixtures and appliances at home. If you got your appliances with the move into your home, and they’re very old already, now may be the time to add value to your property and get some increased water efficiency by replacing these older appliances.
