Spring Plumbing Problems To Avoid
When the weather begins to warm up after a long winter, certain spring plumbing issues can wreak havoc on your home and wallet. Plumbing problems like leaky basements, cracked pipes and clogged drains can all be avoided with some simple preparation.
The last thing any homeowner wants is costly water damage and a significant repair bill. However, there are steps you can take to help prevent spring plumbing issues. The following are some tips to assist you in preparing your home for warmer weather.
1. Excess Water from Melting Snow
Once the sun begins to melt the snow into water, it can create problems for your crawlspace or basement. Flooding can occur underneath your house, which can lead to mold and foul-smelling bacteria. Keep an eye out for water stains or standing water around the perimeter of the house. These signs could mean that you have excess water leaking into your crawlspace or basement.
To treat this problem yourself, you can do the following:
- Clear Your Rain Gutters to ensure water funnels into the drainpipes.
- Install French drains near areas prone to flooding. French drains consist of a plastic perforated pipe buried underground, wrapped in landscaping fabric, and covered with drainage rock. These drains carry away excess moisture from the foundation of the house.
- If water has already found its way into your basement, use a sump pump to remove it quickly.
2. Cracks in the Pipes
If you’ve had a frigid winter and you notice your water pressure is low or discover that water is leaking inside your wall, you likely have a cracked water pipe. The intense low temperatures can crack plumbing pipes during winter, but it’s so cold the crack freezes, preventing water from leaking out immediately. Then when spring temperatures heat things up, suddenly you have a problem. This plumbing issue can be common, especially on your outdoor faucets, as they experience the full brunt of the elements.
To prevent this issue from happening, consider the following:
- Before the onset of next winter, disconnect your hose from the outside faucet.
- Winterize the pipes to your outdoor fixture by turning off your main water valve and removing excess water from the lines that can freeze during the winter.
- There are also specialized outdoor faucet fixtures that prevent damaged pipes, and you may want to consider installing one.
3. Avoid Clogging Drains
Some aspects of the winter season can create clogged drains that will only get worse as spring begins. Popular holiday gifts such as bath bombs and bath beads help to clog up your drain. And a slow drain that goes unattended over the winter months can become a real problem at the onset of warmer weather.
There are few ways to help prevent clogs and methods to treat them when detected.
- Avoid scrubbing beads or bath bombs in the tub as they can lead to clogging.
- The moment you notice the drain isn’t working as quickly, act.
- There are several tools you can use to unclog your drains. Long-nosed plyers can grab obstructions near the drain entrance. Plungers can clear clogged drains even in the bath or shower. Finally, you can use specially designed tools that act as large flexible pipe cleaning instruments.
Prepare for Spring
Just because there is a shift in season doesn’t mean your home should fall victim to plumbing issues.
Visually inspect around your foundation and basement or crawlspace to identify any leaking issues early. Act to flush excess water away from your foundation by clearing your gutters and installing a French drain system. Consider replacing your exterior faucet with a winterized model, disconnect your hose, and consider flushing out the pipes before cold weather hits.
Lastly, minimize pipe clogging by skipping the bath bomb products and addressing clogs immediately. With some essential preparation, you can ensure that spring doesn’t involve a costly plumbing bill.
Spring Plumbing Issues?
If you find the preparation tactics to avoid spring plumbing issues are not working for you, contact All A’s Plumbing & Heating right away. We will come to help you quickly. We also offer 24-hour emergency service. Do not let a small and simple plumbing problem turn into a large, disastrous and costly one.
Recent Comments