5 Tips to Prep Your Homes Plumbing for Maximum Summer Fun
Summer is around the corner, and that equals barbecues, graduation parties, Fourth of July fun and other outdoor events are potentially part of your seasonal plans. But before you wrap up that summer calendar, you’ll want to make sure your plumbing system is ready for increased use.
A plumbing crisis while having guests is a headache that will surely dampen your summer groove. So, the team at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, the nation’s trusted name for plumbing, heating and cooling repairs and maintenance, has provided some helpful plumbing maintenance tips. Tackle them promptly to better assure your summer satisfaction will be as relaxing as planned.
1. Examine your hose spigot, sprinkler and irrigation systems
After winter and holiday indoor parties, it’s easy to overlook the plumbing surrounding the outside of your home. But it’s in fact a great place to start your plumbing maintenance and assessments. Broken sprinkler heads will need to be replaced, as they’ll soon be depended on more intensively to keep your grass green and your kids cool as they spontaneously splash through them for a mid-day refresher. Underground sprinkler and irrigation lines should also be tested for leaks as well as your hose spigot too. While exterior hose spigot leaks can be obvious to find yourself, a professional can alert you to ones that may occur on the interior of the wall, too.
2. Clean and unclog bathroom and kitchen drains, inspect fixtures
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most likely rooms for a plumbing catastrophe. You can start your evaluation by clearing away all items under sinks to check drain pipes and the underside of faucets for leaks. Your cabinets might offer clues as well. Mildew, warped wood and old drip spots are symptoms of leaks from either drain pipes or fixtures. Fill sinks with water and monitor how easily the drain works. All clogs and leaks should be sorted out immediately by a professional, and you won’t want to count on liquid agents as a long-term treatment for clogs either.
“We strongly discourage homeowners from tackling drain problems with a liquid agent. They may address the clog, but they may also damage plastic or metal pipes,” said BJ Richardson of Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. “A professional can clean out all your drains, fix a bad one and bring peace of mind with a warranty.”
3. Don’t forget your sump pump
Summer produces mild weather but also significant rain in a few regions of the country. Those rains may result in floods in basements if your sump pump is unprepared. A properly functioning unit reduces the potential for mold and water problems that could appear even from minimal soil seepage at all times of year. The pump should be professionally reviewed, debris cleaned away, the power cord checked, and most important, water put in to the pit to observe how soon it responds. If it quits or acts slowly, it might have to be repaired.
4. Resolve toilet leaks
Your water bill may be grateful for this task the most. A few simple inspections by a certified service professional could save you water and help you avoid a costly repair. Toilets frequently leak around the flapper in the tank, which tends to wear down over time. A specialist can also easily check other components inside the tank and around the whole toilet as well. The pieces within the tank, in particular, are quite budget friendly; so, if hoses or washers appear worn or the fill valve sounds slow, all these components can be changed out by a professional quickly and cost-effectively. And keep in mind, ignoring even the smallest toilet repair today will only become larger, more expensive problems in the future.
5. It’s a good opportunity to flush the water heater
Even though a water heater breakdown may not feel like it’s as bad in the summer as it could be in colder months, it’s a bother all the same. If you haven’t emptied your water heater this year, you’ll want to handle it before the summertime fun starts and showers are in high demand by guests. Water heaters accumulate minerals and other debris at the tank’s base, which could result in rust and the need for a water heater repair or replacement. A trained plumber can perform this simple task for you while also resolving other maintenance tasks.
“A lot of these inspections may seem like common sense, but they can easily go overlooked when our lives get busy,” Richardson added. “You can schedule a certified professional to inspect all of your plumbing systems today. That way you can confidently plan your summer fun without the worry of unexpected surprises.”
Eager to request a Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing technician to help get your home ready for the highest level of summertime fun? You can also stop by our website today for more info about our seasonal maintenance specials and repairs.
Disclaimer: Source: GET Creative, a division of USA TODAY