It's important to be vigilant regarding your plumbing system so that you have service and repairs performed when necessary. Procrastinating repairs or being unaware that you need them can cause malfunctions in your plumbing system to get worse and cost you more than they should.

You should periodically inspect plumbing system components to make sure that they are not showing any signs of developing malfunctions. The following are six things you should inspect regularly to avoid plumbing problems:

Water pressure

Any significant decrease in water pressure in your home could be a good sign that you've got a leak somewhere. A leak in your pipes can create problems for you by allowing water damage to occur within your walls or in other areas that are hard for you to access. 

Other reasons why your water pressure may go down include residue buildup in a faucet aerator or an eroded waterline. All of these issues need to be addressed quickly to keep your plumbing system operating properly.

Pipes

You should occasionally look at pipes that are accessible to you in cabinets under sinks to make sure that they are not dripping or leaking in some way.

You should also listen to pipes. Pipes that are rattling or making hissing noises need to be looked at by a plumber. Rattling pipes could be under a lot of pressure and might burst if the cause of the problem is not looked into and resolved. Hissing pipes are likely to have a leak somewhere. 

Walls above bathroom and kitchen sinks

It's important to occasionally check walls above sinks to make sure that they are not damp. Leaking pipes connecting to faucets can allow water to soak into walls, eventually leading to mold and mildew growth.

Bathroom tiles located near tubs and sinks

Tiles around plumbing fixtures need to be waterproof to prevent water damage. Over time, caulking can come loose and let moisture seep through to the subfloor beneath. Make sure that missing caulking is replaced to keep your tile floors as watertight as possible. 

Floors around toilets

Toilets can develop small leaks over time that allow moisture to get onto the floors and leave dark stains or mineral residue. It's important to have leaks repaired before they grow larger and create a risk of flooding in your bathroom. 

Drains

Check your drains and consider how quickly they are emptying out. Repeated clogs mean that there's probably some residue jamming up your pipes. This problem could become worse over time, and using chemical drain cleaners repeatedly is not a good solution because it can damage pipes.

It's best to call in a company that offers plumbing services if you're dealing with frequent drain clogs to get to the root of the problem.