Expert Guide to Spring Plumbing Maintenance
You may already be aware that your heating and AC equipment needs yearly HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but did you know that you also need to call an expert for annual plumbing maintenance? Winnipeg Supply Service Experts offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for Winnipeg homeowners to help them discover issues before they turn into big problems. While we recommend calling immediately for plumbing problems and arrange for your plumbing maintenance annually, here are a few ways for you to get your home in great plumbing shape for spring.
- Verify any plumbing leaks
Look at both your faucets and toilets for any leaks. When you turn off your faucets check around the connections for water dripping out; if there is, installing new fixtures or repairing the leak could help boost the faucet’s operation and may even lower your water bill.
After the faucets, scan all accessible pipes for indications of leaks. You can often see visible pipes in basements and below sinks. Sometimes pipes can freeze and then crack so spring is the perfect time to make sure the winter weather didn’t cause any damage or plumbing problems.
- Give your drains some seriously overdue care
Examine your toilet for any leaks or cracks in both the tank and the bowl. If your toilet seems to be in good condition, go ahead and put about six drops of food color into the tank. Wait for about 35 minutes and then check the bowl. If the bowl is clear, you’re good to go. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you possibly have a leak and need to call a plumbing expert.
- Remember your water heater maintenance
If something foul seems to be drifting up through any of the drains in your home, it could be a sign that plumbing maintenance is required. A properly working drain shouldn’t release a stench into the air. Confirm there are strains inserted in all your drains to prevent hair and other remains from spoiling in the pipes and causing them to clog. Once you’ve treated them with a common drain cleaner, pour a gallon of water into drains that are not used regularly. This will fill the trap and help to stop odors from getting in and filling up your home.
Your water heater takes excellent care of you so be sure you’re returning the favor. Remember that newer water heaters have more energy efficiency, so if yours is older than 15 years, it could be time to start looking into a new one to be sure you don’t have that unpredicted burst of cold water for several days. Whether or not you plan on investing in a new water heater, there are some things you can do to help keep it working properly.
Check the temperature setting on the water heater and make sure it’s not higher than 120°F. This will help decrease your energy consumption (and help reduce your bills) while also avoiding scalding. As a safety precaution, you will want to move away any items from around the water heater. Your 12 month Plumbing PLUS Maintenance agreement includes a water heater maintenance; and it could even help your water heater perform more efficiently and avoid plumbing problems moving forward.
These are just a couple ways of how to help get your plumbing springtime-ready, but if you are not confident performing any of these tasks, you are welcome to call Winnipeg Supply Service Experts and we can come out and perform your yearly plumbing maintenance and rectify (or help stop) any plumbing problems.
