Spring is fast approaching, and with it comes the home and yard tidy-up. However, it’s also a great time to do a spring-clean of your plumbing.
Did you know that there are some important tasks that should be done in the spring to keep your plumbing system working at its best? By performing a few simple checks, you can ensure that your system runs smoothly for years to come, and even identify potential issues before they become costly problems.
As the weather warms up, it is common for the ground to be a little softer and squishy in places as the ice and snow melt, and the runoff water soaks into the ground.
Pools of water, however, are not so common and can indicate a leaking pipe under the ground. This can happen for many reasons, but it should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent more damage to the pipe, higher utility bills, and a swamp forming in the yard, thus destroying your landscaping.
Your outside plumbing refers to the external downpipes and gutters. These all direct running water to the external drains, which, in turn, connect to the sewers. If there is any damage to this drainage system, your yard can flood, and then the sewer drains can clog and back up, causing more issues.
With regular inspections and cleaning of debris and other garbage that may have taken up residence, you can prevent the pipes from coming away from the walls and breaking.
By adding screens or mesh tops to the gutters and over-the-drain covers, you can prevent leaves, sticks, dirt, and other garden or environmental debris from causing issues later on.
When the time comes, you will reach for your outdoor hose and attach it to the tap so that you can water your freshly planted garden—but then nothing happens. Or, you might hear a loud noise and there is water everywhere.
Outdoor taps often get overlooked in the spring, but as they come from inside the house and lead outside, they are at the same risk of freezing and leaking as the other pipes.
Before attaching a hose or even turning them on, check for signs of leaking, such as water stains on the walls, dripping, or even a loose tap. If you know where the pipe runs to in the house (typically, in the basement), check the pipe inside for leaks or condensation.
When you are satisfied, slowly turn the tap and see if the water runs smoothly, or if you hear any rattling or other noises. Then, see how much pressure there is when the tap is fully opened.
As the winter says goodbye, the warmer temperatures creep in and your home thermostat can start to relax. Now is the time to test your valves. Hopefully, you never have to use the emergency shut-off valves in any part of the home, but you should still make sure that they are in good working order.
Check for condensation or dripping around the valves, pools of water, or water stains on the pipes or the floor directly below, as this could indicate a leak has happened or is about to.
Then, turn them. Not only will this confirm that you can shut off the water in the event of an emergency, but it also lets you know that you can actually turn them and that they have not rusted in place.
When any property is built, there is insulation put in place to help regulate the internal environment. For plumbing, this works to make sure that pipes in hard-to-regulate temperature areas are protected.
Typically, in the basement, where it can get a lot colder than the rest of the house, insulation serves to protect pipes from extreme temperature changes, therefore, preventing bursting in the winter.
Take a look around at your pipes; any that show signs of condensation should be addressed first.
Any receptacle that is used to contain a liquid should regularly be flushed and checked.
Your kettle will develop limescale over time, so you should rinse it and remove the debris. When your car goes for an oil change, it’s flushed, the old oil is drained, debris is removed, and then it’s refilled.
The same goes for your water heater. Release any built-up pressure by turning the TPR valve. If you cannot turn or operate the valve, then you should call a plumbing company, as there could be a leak or other damage, which will result in your heater breaking.
Flushing your heater also helps to remove mineral build-up, especially if you are in a hard water area. This build-up can affect the efficiency of the heater and cause the TPR valve to get stuck.
Toilets get used every day, multiple times, so you would think a leak would be easy to spot. However, there may be a slow leak, which is harder to detect.
Put a few drops of food colouring (red or green work best) into the cistern tank and flush the toilet. Then, check behind the bowel, under the cistern, the floor, and the valve. If you see any coloured water, even just a drop, then you know that you have a leak.
Do this for all the toilets in the home, not just the ones used every day, but even any in the basement to make sure that they function and there are no issues.
Advanced Plumbing is the expert to help you and your plumbing get ready for spring.
With the resources, knowledge, and expertise to handle any situation at any time, Advanced Plumbing provides you with professional care and efficiency to get the job done right the first time.
We are fully insured and licensed, so there is no job too big for our team to handle. So, whether it’s a small leak or a burst pipe, call 866-863-9539 any time of the day or night and speak to a team member, or go online and book a time for us to reach out.