Now that the holiday season has come to an end, it is time to reflect back on how 2015 was for you and your family. All of the good things that happened, and the not so good things too, are all memories that stay with you moving into 2016.

Making it through another year without some kind of plumbing malfunction is a real relief for all household. And, continuing that good fortune for years to come should be the goal.

Make sure to add these tips for maintaining your plumbing system in the coming year:

• Use the garbage can. In some homes, the garbage can is not used as much as it should be. In the kitchen, the garbage disposal gets some of the material that should go in the garbage can and in the bathroom the toilet does. For instance, potato peels should never be pushed into the garbage disposal but, put into the garbage can instead. And, in the bathroom dental floss will get flushed down the toilet rather than being thrown away. Make sure that all of the members of your household use the garbage can first.
• Turn the water off. Any time that you or a member of your family is at the sink, make sure to turn the water off when it is not being used. For instance, when brushing teeth or washing hands. This helps to conserve water and ensures that your hot water heater is not getting over worked unnecessarily.
• Schedule maintenance. Make sure to have your plumbing system inspected annually by a professional plumber to ensure that all parts and pieces are working properly. These appointments are important because they provide the opportunity to identify areas that need repair before they turn into full-fledge plumbing breakdowns. If you don’t have it on the books yet, call and schedule an appointment for your plumbing system to be inspected.

Maintenance throughout the year is key to making sure that your plumbing system is in top working order. Make sure to add these couple of tips to your list of 2016 plumbing maintenance tasks.