Seasonal Plumbing Tips To Avoid The Unexpected
Did you know that households use two to four times more water in the summer than during the rest of the year? Between filling and maintaining pools, watering gardens and lawns, and staying hydrated, summer means our plumbing is getting a workout.
While plumbing problems are a drag any time of year, the heat of summer is not when you want to have a clogged drain, a toilet that doesn’t flush, or sprinkler lines that are broken and leaking water all over, costing you money. If you want to learn how to address seasonal plumbing issues, read on.
1. Inspect Sprinklers
If you live in a cold-weather state and don’t use your sprinklers all year long, you’ll want to get them inspected come summer. During the winter, the pipes could crack, sprinkler heads could be broken, or grass and other dirt could be blocking the sprinkler heads. If any of these pipes are cracked or leaking, it could cause excessive water in your yard and also drive up your water bill.
2. Tune-up The Air Conditioner
Make sure your air conditioner is ready to go this year. The dog days of summer is not the time to figure out that your air conditioner isn’t working properly. Make sure that the drain lines are cleaned out and not clogged, that none of the pipes outside are corroded or cracked, and that your air filter is clean.
3. Inspect Sewer Line Pipes
Summer is the rainy season for many parts of the country and the rainwater from these storms can cause backups in your sewer lines. This water enters your sewer lines through small cracks and overwhelms the pipes. Tree roots can also cause problems with your sewer lines, as they grow towards the source of water. Before the summer storms come rolling in, have your sewer pipes inspected to make sure there aren’t any issues.
4. Change Washing Machine Hoses
Washing machine hoses should be changed every three to five years and should be inspected yearly. You can make this a part of your summer seasonal plumbing checklist. Check the hoses for any damage, rust, kinks, or signs of a leak and if you notice any of these, replace the hoses. The good news is that replacement is inexpensive and you can often do it yourself.
5. Don’t Abuse Your Garbage Disposal
It’s tempting to throw everything down your garbage disposal, but try to avoid those delicious summer barbeque foods, like corn cobs, watermelon rinds, fatty foods such as ground beef, or stringy foods. Save these items for the trash can, no matter how much you are tempted to throw them down the disposal.
The middle of your 4th of July barbeque is not when you want to clog your disposal, rendering your sink unusable.
Seasonal Plumbing Tips to Make It Through Summer
These seasonal plumbing tips for Summer will hopefully allow you to prevent any major issues before they surface. Proper care and maintenance go a long way. Spending some money to keep your plumbing in tip-top shape will ultimately save you money on repairs in the long run.
If you should find yourself with a plumbing emergency, contact us. We have a 24/7 emergency service and can address any plumbing emergency you might have.
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