Readying your home’s plumbing system for spring now can prevent unexpected, expensive repairs. As the temperatures rise, your family will likely increase its water use. Your plumbing needs to function well to handle this increase. While preparing for your annual spring cleaning, you might not realize that you should also pay attention to your plumbing. Here is a plumbing maintenance checklist to do before spring arrives and why it’s time to call our plumbing services company.
Indoor Plumbing Maintenance Tasks
1. Drain Your Water Heater
If you have a tank water heater, you should have it drained annually. Over time, sediment builds up in your water heater’s tank. Accumulated sediment can cause your water heater to malfunction and lead to clogs that can be expensive to repair.
Some signs it’s time to drain your water heater and flush it out include:
- Inadequate amount of hot water
- Unusual sounds
- Odd smells
- Older water heater
Even if your water heater is relatively new, having it drained and flushed once per year can extend its lifespan.
2. Check for Moisture in Your Basement
After it rains, inspect your basement for moisture. Look for water spots, leaks, and cracks on the walls. Rain can seep through cracks in your home’s foundation and your basement walls. This can lead to mold and mildew buildup and damage your walls and insulation. Checking for moisture early allows you to prevent extensive damage.
3. Inspect Your Sump Pump
If your home has a basement, your sump pump helps to keep it dry during storms. A poorly-working or nonfunctional sump pump won’t keep up with the demands placed on it during heavy rain. It’s important to thoroughly check your sump pump before spring arrives to ensure it is ready for the rainy season.
Regular sump pump maintenance keeps your basement dry and prevents damage. During your maintenance visit, our plumber will inspect your sump pump, clean it, clear away debris, and check the motor, float switch and discharge line. These steps prepare your sump pump for the onslaught of frequent rain.
4. Check for Leaks
Now is a great time to check your home for leaks. Open the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. Use a flashlight to look for visible water or drips, and feel around for moisture on the cabinet floor. Walk through your home and carefully look for signs of leaks on your walls, ceilings and floors. These signs might include water spots, discolorations or drips. If you notice a leak, you’ll want to contact a plumber to fix it before it worsens.
5. Inspect and Clean Your Fixtures and Drains
Minerals can build up on your shower and faucet fixtures. This can lead to reduced water pressure and leave chemical traces on your skin and dishes. Use a sturdy scrub brush to clean away the buildup from your shower head and faucet fixtures. If the buildup is too stubborn, you might consider replacing them. Similarly, drain clogs can happen slowly from the gradual accumulation of gunk and limescale. Annual drain cleaning service prevents those clogs from causing issues, stopping them before they ruin your day.
Outdoor Plumbing Maintenance Tasks
6. Check Your Water Meter
Your water meter can indicate whether you might have a leak somewhere in your plumbing. To check it, turn off your water to your home. Your water meter will likely be located outdoors in a covered box near the street. Remove the cover and take a look at it. Some meters have a flow indicator that shows whether water is flowing. If your water is turned off, but the flow indicator still moves, you might have a leak.
If your water meter doesn’t have a flow indicator, you can still check it to see if you might have a leak. Turn off the water to your house, and check the meter. Write down the reading. Leave the water off for one hour, and re-check your water meter. Compare the readings. If they’ve increased, you should call us.
7. Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts
Your gutters and downspouts protect your home from water damage by collecting water from your roof and directing it away from your home’s walls, foundation and interior. It’s smart to include cleaning your gutters and downspouts as a routine task as you ready your home for warmer weather. Clear away dirt, leaves, twigs and other accumulated debris. Flush out your gutters with water, and check for leaks as the water goes down your downspouts.
8. Inspect Outdoor Faucets and Hose Bibs
Winter weather can wreak havoc on your outdoor faucets and hose bibs. Your spring plumbing maintenance should include inspecting your outdoor faucets and hose bibs for cracks, leaks or damage. Turn the water on at each outdoor faucet to look for leaks. While you might think a small drip isn’t anything to worry about, it can worsen and cause higher utility bills and water waste with time. If you seek cracks or other damage, it’s a good idea to call our professionals for help.
While you’re inspecting your outdoor faucets and hose bibs, take time to check your hoses. Water hoses can crack and spring leaks, leading to water waste. It’s a good time to make sure your water hoses are in good shape and ready for watering your garden and lawn now before the warmer months come.
9. Flush and Inspect Your Sprinkler System
Colder air during the winter can be hard on your sprinkler system and pipes. They can develop cracks and leaks, and some of your sprinkler heads might also malfunction. Turn on your sprinkler system, and walk around your lawn. This can help you spot leaks or non-working sprinkler heads that require attention. Clean your sprinkler heads and look to see if any are misdirected. You don’t want your sprinklers to spray water on the walls of your house.
10. Check Outdoor Drains
Your home’s outdoor drains help to keep water from accumulating and flooding your yard. Walk around your lawn to check each outdoor drain. Clear away branches, twigs, leaves, grass and other debris. Make sure your drains are working properly. If you notice one or more of your drains drains slowly or is backed up, you should have it cleaned to prevent floods and damage to your landscaping.
11. Prepare Your Outdoor Kitchen or Pool
An outdoor kitchen or pool is a feature many homeowners in Taylors, SC, want. If you have an outdoor kitchen, a pool or both, your family likely looks forward to socializing with your friends and family members during the spring and summer outdoors. However, you must ensure the plumbing functions like it should and is free of leaks. Check your outdoor kitchen’s plumbing fixtures to look for damage or leaks.
Remove and clean your pool cover and clean the pool walls and floor with a scrub brush. Inspect your pool pump to make sure it’s working properly and clean your pool filter. When it’s time to fill your pool, fill it to the appropriate level and shock the water. Maintaining your outdoor kitchen and pool helps to keep these amenities pristine so your family can enjoy them all season long.
Talk to Our Plumbing Experts
Maintaining your indoor and outdoor plumbing helps to keep your home working like it should. You can avoid unexpected repairs with thorough maintenance before spring with our help. Our professional plumbers pride themselves on the quality of their work. We can help you prepare your plumbing for the upcoming spring and summer months. We also complete plumbing repairs, installations, and a wide range of HVAC and electric services for a whole-home solution. Our company prioritizes customer service and family values in everything we do.
To learn more and to schedule plumbing maintenance in Taylors, call us at Viper Services today!
