With spring quickly coming to the Treasure Valley, it’s important to include plumbing in your spring cleaning checklist. Cold winters can cause severe damage to plumbing systems in homes, so checking them now could save you a lot down the road.
What to Check
From the water heater to the ice maker, a typical home has many appliances that use plumbing systems. Here are some important things to check when doing your plumbing spring cleaning:
Toilets
- Look for water leaks around the base of the toilet. Even small leaks can, over time, lead to mold and damage to the structure of a home.
- If a toilet has trouble flushing, look for parts that need to be replaced. If you, don’t know what parts you need, contact us and one of our experts be happy to help you.
Pipes and Hoses
- Water can freeze in outdoor faucets over the winter, causing pipe damage usually unnoticed until springtime.
- Check all visible pipes for leaks, drips, and condensation. If these problems go unhandled, it can mean devastating and costly damage.
- Supply hoses for refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers should be checked yearly and replaced every 6-10 years.
What to Clean or Replace
Once you’ve checked all of your plumbing for damage, it’s time to clean. Cleaning or replacing parts of your plumbing system yearly will save you a headache and money later in the year.
Drains
- Hair, food, and other objects can get caught in drains and cause clogging or even worse, flooding.
- Drain cleaning or replacing should be done at least once a year to keep your drains running smoothly.
Sinks and Showers
- Try turning all sinks and showers on and off multiple times, making sure that the knobs don’t stick and water flows naturally.
- Over time, showerheads and taps collect buildup that can clog holes and affect water flow. Soaking these in vinegar will help eliminate the buildup.
- Installing strainers for shower drains can catch hair and other things to prevent clogging in the future.
When spring cleaning, plumbing should not be overlooked. What might seem like an unimportant detail now could become a disaster down the road. At Viking Plumbing, our 35 years of experience in the industry has given us the knowledge and experience to fix any of your plumbing needs, so don’t wait until it’s too late and contact us today!