With the temperatures already going up quickly and summer almost fully in effect, its that time of year where relatives and friends start coming to town to visit and stay at your home. This is a great time to check on your plumbing components to make sure they don’t fail when you have guests, giving you more time to spend with them. Check out these 4 great tips we’ve compiled to make sure your plumbing is set for the summer.
1.Leaky Fixtures
In plumbing, small leaks can cause big problems in the future. Start off your checklist by making sure none of your fixtures, such as faucets and showerheads, have leaks. You should also check your toilet for any leaks, as they are considered a fixture and can cause the same problems a leaky faucet would. There are guides online on how to fix a leaky faucet and other fixtures, so it’s a job that can easily be done by the less experienced. If left alone, the extra moisture can stain your sink, or end up causing a lot more damage in the future.
2.Take Care of Your Garbage Disposal
With summer comes barbecues, and with barbecues comes a lot tougher food for the garbage disposal to chop up. The best way to take care of your disposal and ensure that it stays working properly is to watch what you throw down the drain. Any meat shouldn’t be put in the disposal, with or without bones. This means any leftovers from the barbecue should just be tossed in the garbage can, with the exception of vegetables. You also should never dump your grease tray down the drain, as it can become solid and cause a clog. If your drain does become clogged, it’s best to contact a professional.
3.Have Your Pipes Inspected
If they haven’t been inspected in a while or you feel there’s an issue in your pipes, now is a great time to have them looked at. Having a plumbing company perform preventative maintenance and inspect your pipes is always a good decision. Most people don’t have the experience or tools necessary for inspecting pipes, so having a professional come can help ease your mind. There are even some companies that offer Preventative Maintenance Plans to make sure they’re always on top of any issues that might come up and keep your house’s plumbing in working order. It’s a complete run-through of problems that could occur, such as leaky pipes in your crawl space. Having everything checked at once will give you peace of mind in the fact that your plumbing is sound.
4.Vacation Preperation
Sometimes after hosting family at your home, you might want to get out of town yourself to have a vacation. Depending on how many days you’ll be gone, it can be a good idea to turn your water completely off. Water sitting in a toilet while you’re away from the house can cause stains in the bowl. If they sit for very long periods of time, the stains are hard to get out and might even need a pumice stone to remove them. If you don’t know where your main water shutoff valve is, you should find it. It’s good to know where this is not only so you can shut off your water for vacations, but also for if a large leak occurred and you needed to shut everything off fast.
Consistant Preventative Maintenance
Although right now is a great time to engage in preventative maintenance, these are all items that can be applied year-round. Being on top of preventative maintenance can save you in the long run from surprise problems that can be costly to fix. If you fix the issue before it happens, it ends up being a lot cheaper than if you didn’t pay attention to your plumbing. If you have any other questions on plumbing and maintenance be sure to give us a call, we’d be more than happy to help!