Spring Cleaning For Your Plumbing

Spring is finally here and while most of us are getting to projects we’ve put off through the Winter,  there are actually many ways to prepare your plumbing for this season …

Watch for Water Leaks Associated with Sprinklers and Outdoor Faucets- Outdoor pipes attached to sprinklers and faucets can easily freeze and break over the winter. When temperatures outside have thawed, watch your outdoor pipes for signs of water leaks. If you notice a water leak in your home the first time you turn on your hose or other faucets, this could be a sign that one of your pipes froze and broke over the winter.

Check your faucets- So what you’re really checking for here is low water pressure. Run all of your indoor and outdoor faucets on both hot and cold settings. The pressure may take a second to adjust (that sputtering, spitting noise)  if the faucet hasn’t been used in a while but after running the water for a few minutes the air should work it’s way out and the pressure should return to normal. Low water pressure is a sign of a leak, so if you notice any of your faucets aren’t running at full capacity, it may be  time to call T&S Plumbing.

Check your toilet for leaks- This one is easy! To check for a toilet leak, just put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank, wait a few minutes, and see if any of the food coloring made its way into the toilet bowl. If your toilet water is still clear, you’re all good; but if there’s food coloring in the toilet bowl, you have a leak and you’ll need to have your flapper replaced.

Flush your water heater- Carefully drain several gallons from the water heater tank to flush out corrosion causing sediment, which reduces heating efficiency and shortens the life of the heater. Consider replacing a water heater more than 15 years old. (The first four numbers of the serial number represent the month and year it was made.) Newer water heaters are more energy efficient

Jump on your yard work- You may think your yard has nothing to do with your plumbing, but you’d be wrong. Make sure your down spouts face away from your home’s foundation and drain in the direction of the street, and be sure that your storm drains are clear so that they can handle large amounts of draining water. If possible, be sure to also clear your yard of any debris that could get washed down and potentially clog a drain and result in a flood.

Turn the Water Valves-Water valves can get hard to turn over time. Once annually, turn off the water valves in your home, then turn them back on just to keep the parts from becoming sticky.

 

At T&S Plumbing, we have fully trained and licensed plumbing techs to help you this Spring, and all year round.  Please give us a call if your Spring Cleaning turned up anything that concerns you (770)867-0087