Most plumbing emergencies start as small signs that nobody checked. A weeping angle stop, a corroded water heater fitting or a slow drain gets worse for months before it fails on a holiday night. Fifteen minutes with a flashlight under the sinks is the cheapest repair you will ever make.
The jobs below are grouped by frequency. None needs special tools beyond a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench and a bucket. Anything that involves gas, a ladder at the roof line or a pipe inside a wall is a job for a licensed plumber.
What should you check every month?
Monthly checks are quick and catch the early signs. Walk through the house with a flashlight and a dry paper towel.
Monthly plumbing walk-through
- Look under each sink for damp wood, white mineral crust or drips on the supply lines and angle stops.
- Wipe the base of each toilet and check for rocking, which can mean a failing wax ring.
- Lift the toilet tank lid and listen for hissing after the tank fills, which points to a worn flapper or fill valve.
- Check the floor around the washing machine hoses and the dishwasher for moisture or soft spots.
- Look at the water heater base and the pipes above it for rust streaks or moisture.
- Read the water meter with every fixture off. A moving dial means water is escaping somewhere.
Found a damp cabinet or a rusty tank base while going through the list? Call (855) 575-2890 and describe what you see.
Call (855) 575-2890Which jobs belong in the spring and fall?
Twice a year, test the shutoffs you will need in an emergency. Turn the main shutoff clockwise until it stops, open one faucet to confirm the water stops, then reopen it slowly. Do the same with each angle stop under a sink and behind a toilet. A valve that has not moved in years can seize or leak the day you need it.
Clean the aerator on each faucet by unscrewing the tip, rinsing out grit and soaking it in white vinegar if mineral buildup has formed. San Jose Water advises cleaning faucet aerators regularly. Slow flow from a single faucet is nearly always the aerator, not the pipe.
Inspect hoses on the washer and replace any that are cracked, bulging or more than a few years old. Braided steel hoses hold up better than plain rubber. Check outdoor hose bibs for drips, and detach garden hoses before cold nights.
How do you maintain a water heater?
Once a year, look the tank over for rust at the fittings, moisture at the base and a pilot or burner that burns steady blue. Attach a hose to the drain valve and flush a few gallons out to carry off sediment. Never open the drain on a hot tank without a hose that can take the heat.
The Town's bracing handout says water heaters must be strapped against earthquake movement with at least two restraints, one in the upper third and one in the lower third of the tank. Each strap goes to a wall stud with a screw at least a quarter inch in diameter, driven at least half an inch into the wood, with a washer. Check yours against that list.
If the tank is leaking from the body, rusty water comes out of the hot taps, or the unit is far past its expected life, talk to a plumber about repairing the heater before it fails. Replacing a water heater with the same type in the same location needs a Town permit that can be applied for online. If the type or the location changes, the quick application no longer applies and a regular building permit is needed.
If you smell gas near the heater
Stop and leave first
Leave the building right away. Do not touch light switches, appliances or anything that could spark. Call 911 from outside at a safe distance, then call the gas utility, and only then a plumber. Do not try to relight a pilot or find the leak yourself.
What drain and sewer checks matter here?
Pour hot tap water down each drain monthly and watch how fast it clears. Slow drains in one fixture suggest a local clog. Slow drains in several fixtures, gurgling toilets or water backing into a tub suggest the main line, and that is a call for a plumber with a cable or hydro jet.
West Valley Sanitation District serves Los Gatos, and its message is to flush only toilet paper, pee and poop. Keep so called flushable wipes out of the toilet, along with paper towels and cotton swabs. Keep grease out of the kitchen drain. A sewer lateral that backs up usually traces to wipes, grease or roots.
Know where your cleanout is. It is usually a capped pipe near the foundation or at the property line. Mark the spot, keep it clear of plants and soil, and tell every family member where it is.
How often should each job happen?
Use this table to set reminders on your phone.
| Job | How often | Call a plumber if |
|---|---|---|
| Under-sink and toilet check | Monthly | You find active drips or soft wood |
| Shutoff valve test | Twice a year | A valve will not close fully |
| Faucet aerator cleaning | Twice a year | Flow stays weak after cleaning |
| Water heater flush and strap check | Yearly | Rust, leaks or weak straps appear |
| Sewer backflow device check | Every 3 to 6 months | The flap sticks or backups occur |
| Meter test for hidden leaks | Quarterly | The dial moves with fixtures off |
Intervals are general guidance. Your fixtures and household size may call for more frequent checks.
What Los Gatos utilities recommend
West Valley Sanitation District tells owners with a sewer backflow device to check it every three to six months, because its flap can close during a blockage. If your lowest fixtures sit close to the street manhole, ask whether you have one and where it is.
For water that has sat for several hours, San Jose Water advises running the tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking or cooking. That is a good habit after vacations, and a good time to check the kitchen faucet for drips.
When is it time to stop and call?
Call a plumber if a shutoff will not close, a pipe is bulging or weeping at a joint, or water stains spread on a ceiling or wall. Hidden problems need a tool, not a guess. The plumber we send can run a leak search with acoustic and pressure methods to find a leak without opening walls.
Homes in Campbell and the Cambrian Park area get the same dispatch, and we give a clear price before work starts. Call (855) 575-2890 when a check turns up something you cannot fix with a wrench.
Plumbing maintenance questions Los Gatos owners ask
Once a year is a common routine for a tank unit. Use a hose rated for hot water, and stop if the drain valve leaks or sediment will not clear.
Check that the water heater has two earthquake straps, clean faucet aerators, and test the main shutoff. If you have a sewer backflow device, test it every three to six months.
Turn off every fixture and read the water meter. If the dial still moves, water is escaping somewhere. A hidden leak check can locate it.
Only if you follow the label and smell no gas. If you smell gas, leave the building, call 911 from outside, and then call the gas utility.
No. West Valley Sanitation District asks residents to flush only toilet paper, pee and poop. Put wipes in the trash.
Replacing a water heater with the same type in the same location needs a Town permit applied for online. If the type or location changes, a regular building permit is needed.