New Homeowner Plumbing Checklist: 10 Things to Check First
Start by finding the water shutoff and saving the right emergency contacts. Then walk through the house for visible leaks, note what equipment you have, and build a water-use baseline. You can learn a lot before buying tools or opening a pipe.
This checklist is for getting to know a home after moving in. It does not replace a professional plumbing inspection or establish that hidden pipes are sound. Skip equipment your home does not have, and leave inaccessible areas alone.
Deal with active problems first. Stop using a leaking or backing-up fixture. Stay clear of standing water near electrical equipment, sewage and damaged ceilings. Use only a known, safely accessible water shutoff; do not force an unfamiliar valve. Get appropriate help when water is spreading or access is unsafe.
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1. Find the household water shutoff
Locate the customer-side main valve while the area is dry. Record its location and ask a plumber to identify it if you are unsure. Everyone who lives in the house should know how to get help if the valve is inaccessible, stuck or leaking.
Austin Water’s preparedness guidance emphasizes locating the owner’s shutoff in advance. Follow your own utility’s rules for meter equipment; another city’s instructions are not permission to operate it. Our water-shutoff guide explains the preparation.
2. Check toilets for silent leaks
Listen for unexpected refilling. For an ordinary tank toilet, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. Color appearing in the bowl indicates leakage; flush afterward to reduce staining. Follow model-specific instructions for unfamiliar designs. EPA leak-check guidance.
A positive dye test does not select the replacement part for you. Record the toilet model and compare symptoms in our running-toilet guide. Report water at the base, movement or damage for assessment.
3. Look under every accessible sink
With a battery flashlight, look for damp cabinet surfaces, water marks, corrosion and visible drips. Note whether the first wet area is near a supply connection, the sink drain or the trap. EPA’s home-maintenance guidance includes checking beneath sinks for leaks.
A photograph helps document the layout; it cannot prove a fitting’s size. If parts are needed, use our sink-trap size guide before shopping. Avoid tightening random nuts or replacing the bend simply because it is the lowest wet part.
4. Notice the dishwasher’s drain arrangement
If there is an air gap beside the faucet, identify it before mistaking an overflow for a broken dishwasher. GE explains that an air gap helps prevent drain-system backflow and gives cleaning directions for typical serviceable designs.
Water escaping at the top and water dripping below the counter are different observations. Stop a leaking appliance and use our dishwasher air-gap guide to decide what to report. Do not block the opening or keep running a leak to reproduce it.
5. Inspect accessible washing-machine hoses
Look for visible hose damage, corrosion or leaking connections without dragging the washer out or straining its hoses. Find any installation date and the appliance manual. Whirlpool’s washer-leak guidance emphasizes watching rubber and metal hoses for damage and consulting the appliance instructions before repairs. Use your equipment’s inspection and replacement directions.
A metal braid does not make a damaged hose acceptable. Our washing-machine hose comparison covers fit and inspection limits. Have difficult access, damaged valves or an active leak handled appropriately.
6. Gather the water-heater details
Save the model, available service history and owner’s manual. From a safe, accessible position, note visible water or corrosion. EPA recommends regular visual checks and maintenance guided by the heater’s manual. An unknown service history is a reason to discuss the next step before attempting a flush.
If a small expansion tank is present, include it in the photo. Relief discharge needs investigation and must never be plugged. Watts explains thermal-expansion control; our expansion-tank warning-signs guide explains what an evaluation should establish.
7. Include outdoor faucets and irrigation
Look for obvious dripping, damaged connections and unexplained wet areas. If there is an irrigation controller, record its programmed days, run times and start times. Ask an irrigation professional about unexplained watering or damage. EPA’s maintenance guidance includes inspecting irrigation for leaks and adjusting watering to conditions and local restrictions.
Plan for cold weather before it arrives. Ask about protection appropriate to your outdoor faucets and follow local utility guidance. A suspicious wet area alone does not locate an underground leak.
8. Start a water-use baseline
Save your first complete bill and record its reading dates, billing days, consumption units and water use. A previous owner’s total is not a direct comparison when household size or watering habits changed. Ask your utility whether online usage history or leak alerts are available.
When a later bill jumps, compare water use as well as charges. Our high-water-bill checklist walks through billing-period differences, automatic water use and meter observations. Keep account numbers and complete bills private.
9. Check the gaps in your leak-warning plan
Identify places where a small leak might go unnoticed. A moisture alarm and a system that monitors water flow do different jobs. EPA’s device-selection guide explains the categories and what to consider.
For example, the basic Zircon Leak Alert is an audible alarm that responds when water reaches its contacts; it does not provide remote phone alerts or automatic shutoff. Test existing devices using their instructions. Compare leak-warning options only after deciding what warning you need and who can respond.
10. Keep a short plumbing record and basic supplies
Put your shutoff location, utility contact, plumber’s number, equipment models and unresolved observations together. Keep a bucket, towels, gloves, a working battery flashlight and a suitable toilet plunger available. Check what you already own before buying a large toolkit.
Use our homeowner emergency-kit checklist for the supply list. You can also print the free home plumbing plan and complete it by hand.
Turn observations into the next step
- Record: where you looked, what you noticed and the date. An old stain and an active drip need different follow-up.
- Clarify: an unknown valve, model or maintenance history goes on the question list, rather than being marked “checked.”
- Arrange help: active leakage, repeated drain trouble, damaged equipment or unsafe access needs assessment.
Keep wide photos and close-ups together so the context is clear. Share service details privately; remove house numbers and other personal information from anything posted publicly.
Need help getting to know your home’s plumbing?
Sergeant Plumber Corp. serves The Colony and surrounding North Texas communities. Tell us which items concern you and what you have observed so we can discuss the appropriate service visit.