Twelve ways to never need an emergency plumber
Free DFW homeowner maintenance checklist from Tioga Plumbing — twelve small things you can do to keep small plumbing problems from ever becoming an emergency.
We’d rather help you avoid the call
Tioga Plumbing and the Carter Family have spent 70+ years pulling slab leaks, replacing burst pipes, and snaking sewer backups across DFW. Most of those calls are preventable. Here’s the short list, by season — pin it on the fridge.
Winter
DFW winters are mild — until they aren’t. One hard freeze is all it takes.
Wrap exterior hose bibs
Inexpensive foam covers prevent the #1 cause of burst-pipe calls in February.
Disconnect garden hoses
A pressurized hose left attached can freeze water back into the wall — classic slab-leak setup.
Drip indoor faucets on hard freezes
When the temp dips below 25°F, set faucets to a pencil-thin drip. Especially on outside walls.
Know where your main shutoff is
Find it now, in daylight, not at 2 a.m. with water hitting the carpet.
Spring & Summer
Heat speeds up corrosion and dries out seals. A 15-minute walk-around catches most issues.
Inspect water heater every spring
Look for rust at the base, listen for popping (sediment), and flush the tank annually.
Check under every sink
Cabinets hide slow drips that rot floors. If the wood feels soft, call us.
Test exterior hose bibs after first warm day
Cracked bibs from winter often only leak when pressure rises in spring.
Year-Round
Three habits any DFW homeowner can adopt today.
Don’t pour grease down the drain
Even hot grease cools downstream and welds itself to your sewer line.
Use mesh hair-strainers
Cheaper than a $325 drain auger. Every shower needs one.
Flush only the three Ps
Pee, poop, paper. Flushable wipes are not flushable — ask any DFW plumber.
Test your water pressure
Anything over 80 psi will destroy fixtures and water heaters. A $15 gauge tells you in 30 seconds.
Schedule a yearly plumbing tune-up
Gator Family members get an annual evaluation that catches issues before they bust.
Want us to do it for you?
The Gator Family Membership ($149/yr) includes a yearly plumbing evaluation, a sewer camera inspection, priority scheduling, and up to 20% off repairs. The kind of thing you’ll wish you had on the night the water heater goes out.
Got a leak, a clog, or a no-hot-water morning? We’re on it.
24/7 answering available, flat-rate price before we start, $25,000 guarantee after we finish. The kind of plumbing call DFW homeowners actually look forward to making.
Prefer to text? Message us at 817-484-5356- 24/7 answering
- Flat-rate pricing
- Licensed plumbers
- Family owned
$25,000 GuaranteeWe stand behind every job.- Upfront PricingKnow the cost before we start.
- 24/7 Answering AvailableDay or night — answering is available.
- 70+ Years in DFWFamily owned & locally trusted.