You finally have new plumbing in your Memphis home, and now you are wondering how to keep it working like new instead of facing another big repair bill in a few years. Maybe you just finished a repipe, added a new bathroom, or installed a new water heater. The installers are gone, everything looks great, and now you are asking yourself what happens next.
That question makes sense. New pipes and fixtures feel like something you should not have to think about for a long time, yet you have probably heard stories about leaks, clogs, or water heater problems popping up not long after a project wraps up. A few simple habits, especially in the first year, can make the difference between decades of trouble-free use and another headache sooner than you expected.
At Smith's Plumbing, Heating & Air, we have been working in Memphis and the surrounding communities since 2010, and our founder, Dustin Smith, holds a Tennessee and Mississippi Master Plumbers License. Our team has seen how brand-new systems behave over time in thousands of local homes. In this guide, we will share the same post-installation plumbing care tips we give our own customers so you can protect your investment and keep your new plumbing working the way it should.
Call (901) 290-1110 or reach out to our team online to schedule plumbing services in Memphis, TN. We are available 24/7!
What New Plumbing Really Needs In The First 30 Days
The first month after an installation is when small issues are most likely to show up. New connections, valves, and fittings have just been pressurized, sometimes after years of low or inconsistent use in that part of the system. As water starts flowing through new lines, temperature and pressure settle into their new normal, and that can reveal weak spots that were not obvious on day one.
During these first 30 days, a simple weekly check goes a long way. Look under each sink that was touched during the project and feel around the base of the shutoff valves and supply lines for any moisture. Run your fingers along the back corners of the cabinet floor, not just the front, where you can see easily. Around toilets, feel the floor near the base and look for any darkened grout or caulk, which can signal a slow leak at the wax ring or supply connection.
Use your ears too. After you shut off faucets or flush toilets, listen for hissing, dripping, or the sound of water running when no fixture is on. A faint hiss near a new shutoff valve can mean water is weeping past an imperfect seal. Occasional soft pipe noise as air clears from new lines can be normal right after installation, but repeated or loud banging is not. If you hear persistent sounds or find anything more than light condensation, it is time to call for a professional look.
From what we see in Memphis homes, many first-month problems start as something tiny. A loose compression nut under a sink, a slightly mis-seated washer in a shutoff valve, or a toilet supply line that was bumped after installation can all drip slowly at first. Because we work on repipes, remodels, and new fixture installs every week, our technicians know that catching these early usually means a quick tightening or part swap instead of cabinet replacement or floor repair down the road.
How Memphis Water Affects Your New Pipes & Fixtures
Memphis is known for good-tasting water, but that does not mean it is gentle on your plumbing. Local water often carries minerals that leave a white or chalky film on fixtures. Inside your plumbing, those same minerals can collect in faucet aerators, showerheads, cartridge valves, and the bottom of your water heater. Even in a brand-new system, buildup can start surprisingly fast.
Minerals in the water settle out wherever flow slows down. In a faucet aerator, they lodge in the small screens and passages and slowly narrow the opening. You might notice a new faucet that suddenly has a weaker spray or sends water in strange directions. In a water heater, minerals sink to the bottom of the tank and form a layer between the burner or heating element and the water. That layer acts like insulation, which makes the heater work harder to produce the same hot water and can shorten its life.
You can slow this process with a few simple habits. After using sinks or showers, wiping fixtures dry helps reduce spotting and scale on visible surfaces. Once a month, unscrew faucet aerators and showerheads and rinse them. If you see small grains or flakes, that is mineral buildup and a sign that regular cleaning matters in your home. If you notice your new fixtures losing pressure or your water heater starting to rumble or pop, those are clues that scale may already be forming where you cannot see it.
Because we work across the Memphis area, we see patterns in how local water affects different plumbing materials and brands. In some homes, testing the water has led us to suggest filtration or conditioning, while in others, a simple change to cleaning routines has been enough. When we talk with customers about post-installation plumbing care, we always tie our recommendations back to what their water is actually doing to their system, not just a one-size-fits-all schedule from a manual.
Simple Monthly Checks To Protect Your New Plumbing
After that first month, the goal is to keep an eye on your new plumbing without turning it into a chore. A short monthly routine can help you catch slowly developing issues before they flood a cabinet, stain a ceiling, or ruin a floor. The routine does not require tools or plumbing knowledge, just a few minutes and a bit of attention.
Start with a quick leak check. Walk through the house and look under every sink, around the base of toilets, and at any exposed pipes or valves tied to the recent work. You are looking for wet spots, discoloration, swollen wood, or a musty smell. Open vanity doors and let your nose do some of the work. A faint odor sometimes shows up before visible water does, especially in enclosed spaces.
Next, run fixtures that do not get daily use. That might be a guest bathroom sink, a basement tub, or a laundry room sink. Turn the tap fully on for a few seconds, then off, and see how the water behaves. Does it come out strong and clear, or is it sputtering, discolored, or slow to drain? Running those lines keeps water moving through the system, helps prevent trap seals from drying out, and gives you an early heads up if something has changed.
Finally, gently test a few accessible shutoff valves that were part of the project. Turn them just enough to feel resistance, then return them to the fully open position. Valves that never move can seize up over time, which defeats their purpose in an emergency. If a valve is stuck, leaks when moved, or feels loose on the line, make a note and give us a call. Our technicians perform similar checks during service visits and, because our vans are fully stocked, we can usually repair or replace weak points in the same trip.
We have seen many situations where these simple monthly checks would have cut off a problem early. A small drip that warps the bottom of a cabinet, a slow leak that stains a ceiling under a bathroom, or a stuck valve that will not close when a line bursts are all preventable in many cases. The goal is not to turn you into a plumber. The goal is to give you a clear, easy way to protect the work you just invested in.
Caring For New Drains So They Stay Clear
New drain lines feel like they should be hard to clog, but how they are used matters more than their age. Even brand-new piping will back up if it is asked to handle things it was never meant to carry. Most early drain problems we see in newly renovated kitchens and bathrooms come down to everyday habits, not bad materials.
In the kitchen, the main enemies are grease, cooking oil, heavy starches, and stringy or fibrous foods. Hot grease and oil pour down as liquid but cool and harden inside the pipes, sticking to the walls. Over time, more food particles catch on that film and build a thick layer that narrows the pipe. Starchy foods like rice and pasta swell with water and can pack into bends in the line. Even with a garbage disposal, scraping plates into the trash and wiping greasy pans with a paper towel before washing will do more for your drains than any chemical cleaner.
In bathrooms, hair and soap residue are the big contributors. Hair wraps around itself and forms rope-like clumps inside P-traps and horizontal runs. Soap scum sticks to the pipe walls and gives that hair something to cling to. A simple mesh or cup-style drain strainer in showers and tubs will catch a surprising amount, especially in bathrooms with long hair. Cleaning these strainers weekly is much easier and safer for your new plumbing than calling for an emergency clog removal.
One thing we caution Memphis homeowners about with brand-new piping is chemical drain cleaners. These products can be harsh on pipe materials, seals, and finishes. In many cases, they do not fix the underlying cause and can leave a thick sludge behind that traps more debris. Mechanical methods, like a plunger or a small hand snake, are usually safer if you are dealing with a minor clog. If that does not solve the problem, we would rather you call us before repeated chemical treatments damage your new system.
We often get calls to clear clogs in homes that have recently been remodeled, and it is almost always tied to what is going down the drain. We would prefer that your new pipes stay clear for years, not months. A few simple changes in the kitchen and bathroom, plus avoiding harsh chemicals, can keep those new drains working the way they were designed to.
Memphis Weather, Soil, & How They Stress New Plumbing
Plumbing does not live in a vacuum. It shares space with Memphis weather and soil conditions, which can stress even a well-installed system. Understanding how our climate and ground movement affect your plumbing helps you decide which care steps matter most.
Outside the home, clay-heavy soils common in many Memphis neighborhoods expand when they are wet and shrink when they dry. That movement can put pressure on buried water and sewer lines. If a joint or connection is already slightly stressed after an installation, soil shifting after a heavy rain or a long dry spell can make that weakness show up as a leak or a new low spot in the yard. Keeping an eye out for unusually soggy patches, persistent wet areas, or sections of lawn that seem to sink is part of good post-installation care.
Weather plays a role as well. While Memphis does not face deep winter for months at a time, we do get occasional hard freezes. Exposed piping, hose bibs, and lines near unheated walls are more vulnerable than homeowners sometimes realize. New plumbing that runs through crawl spaces, garages, or exterior walls may be fine most of the year, then freeze and split during a cold snap if it is not protected.
Seasonal habits help here. In the fall and early winter, disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets, even if the hose bibs are labeled as frost-free. A connected hose can trap water and cause the faucet body to freeze and split inside the wall. If any new lines were run in unconditioned areas, talk with us about adding insulation sleeves or other protection. After heavy rains, glance at your yard for unexplained wet spots near the path of buried lines. After hot, dry stretches, note any new dips that might hint at soil movement around piping.
Because we have worked in many Memphis neighborhoods over the years, we have a good sense of which areas tend to have more issues with shifting soil or freeze-prone runs. We take that into account when we install or service plumbing, and we can help you understand how your specific home and yard might affect the long-term health of your new system.
Taking Care Of New Water Heaters & Appliances
When you upgrade plumbing, you often end up with a new water heater or new connections to appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, and refrigerators. These pieces of equipment depend on the same water and pressure conditions as the rest of your system, and they benefit from the same thoughtful care.
Inside a traditional tank-style water heater, cold water enters at the bottom or near the bottom of the tank, and heat rises to the top where hot water leaves. Minerals in the water settle out and collect at the bottom, forming a layer that grows thicker over time. That layer forces the burner or element to work through extra material before the heat reaches the water. You may first notice this as rumbling, popping, or crackling sounds when the heater runs, especially in a relatively new unit that should still be quiet.
Draining some water from the heater on a regular basis can help remove sediment and keep it from building up. The exact schedule depends on your water and usage, but many Memphis homes benefit from an annual flush. Some homeowners are comfortable attaching a hose and performing a basic drain themselves. Others prefer to have a licensed plumber handle it along with checking the temperature and pressure relief valve, expansion tank, and other safety components.
Your new or newly connected appliances rely on their supply lines just as much as your faucets and toilets do. Flexible braided hoses on washing machines, dishwashers, or refrigerator ice makers are common failure points in many homes. High and constant pressure, especially if a pressure-reducing valve is not present or not working correctly, can cause cheaper hoses to bulge and burst. Periodically inspect these lines for signs of rust on fittings, fraying, or swelling, and make sure you know where their shutoff valves are located.
When A New Plumbing System Needs A Professional Checkup
Post-installation care has limits, and knowing when to call a licensed plumber is part of taking good care of your home. Some warning signs should move you from “watch it” to “get help” right away, especially with a system that was recently updated.
Sudden changes in water pressure are a common red flag. If fixtures across the house all get noticeably weaker or stronger around the same time, there could be an issue with your pressure regulating setup, main shutoff, or a partially closed valve. Banging pipes, often called water hammer, indicate that water is slamming against closed valves or abrupt turns. That not only makes noise, it can stress joints and fittings in your new lines.
Discolored water, especially rusty or cloudy water from hot taps, may point to sediment movement inside the water heater or disturbances in the lines. Any visible leak, even if it is just a slow drip, deserves attention. Water never improves a pipe or fitting by being on the outside of it. Stains on ceilings, soft spots in floors, or musty smells that do not go away all suggest moisture is finding a path where it should not.
Issues like high pressure, water hammer, or improper slope in drain lines are difficult to diagnose or correct without training and the right tools. Our team handles these types of problems regularly. We can test pressure, inspect piping, and adjust or add components that protect your system. Because Smith's Plumbing, Heating & Air offers 24/7 availability and upfront pricing, you can call when you need help and know what to expect before we start the work.
Building A Long-Term Care Plan For Your Memphis Home
When you step back, post-installation plumbing care in a Memphis home boils down to a simple routine. In the first 30 days, check for leaks and listen for odd sounds as the new system settles in. Each month, take a few minutes to look under sinks, run rarely used fixtures, and pay attention to how drains and pressure feel. Each year, plan on deeper maintenance such as water heater flushing and a professional checkup, especially if you have completed a major project like a repipe or bathroom remodel.
The goal is not to add a long list of chores to your life. The goal is to protect the money and time you have already put into your home and to avoid surprises that could have been prevented. At Smith's Plumbing, Heating & Air, we are a family-owned company that believes in long-term relationships with the homeowners we/ serve. Our 5-star rating, thousands of reviews, and A+ rating with the BBB reflect how seriously we take that commitment.
If you would like help setting up a care plan for your new plumbing, want a professional post-installation checkup, or have noticed any of the warning signs we have discussed, we are ready to talk. We can walk your system with you, point out the most important things to watch in your specific home, and handle the maintenance tasks that make more sense for a licensed plumber to do.