Essential Plumbing Spring Cleaning Tips
Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal, so it makes sense that Appleton, Wisconsin locals make use of its arrival to give their homes a thorough inspection and cleaning to get rid of all the damage and debris left behind by the harsh winter. Making a fresh new start in a house that is orderly and free from functional issues is the best way to welcome spring.
On that note, here are some important spring cleaning plumbing tips that will help protect your property against all kinds of plumbing problems:
For general plumbing maintenance:
- If you suspect slow leaks, take a water meter reading before you go to bed and refrain from using water overnight. In the morning, take another reading. If you have no idea what a water meter reading is or your reading is fluctuating, call a plumber!
- Inspect all exposed pipes under your sinks and in the basement for signs of leaks.
- If sewers frequently back up into homes in your Fox Valley neighborhood, talk to your local Plumber who can install a backflow valve in the floor drain helps prevent this from happening in the future.
- If there are infrequently used drains around the house, pour a gallon of water into them to fill the trap. This also prevents odors from finding their way into the house.
- Got any slow drains? Use a snake to make sure that they will effectively carry water away from the house in case of a flood. Also, installing flood alarms is a good idea for folks who have larger homes. Slow drains can also be a sign of a larger problem, learn more HERE.
For bathrooms and kitchens:
- Make sure that there are strainers in all drains so that soap scum, hair and other debris won’t clog drain lines. You can find them for about $2 in any hardware store.
- Check all faucets, toilets, tanks and bowls for drips, cracks or leaks. For toilets, add six drops of food coloring to the water in the tank — if color appears in the bowl within 30 minutes, you may have a leak.
- Turn the water supply valves under toilets and sinks to make sure they aren’t sticking. But be sure to turn them back.
For home appliances:
- Clean out the lint trap in your washing machine and attach some pantyhose or a wire trap to the end of the hose that drains out the washer.
- Your washing machine, dishwasher and ice maker all have supply hoses, so check them all for leaks or bulges (or if they are already 10 years old or older). If they must be replaced, stainless steel hoses are recommended.
- Drain several gallons of water from your water heater tank to flush out sediment buildup. Make sure that the temperature setting does not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider getting a water heater that is more than 15 years old replaced to prevent major issues down the line.
For outdoor spaces:
- See if your outdoor faucets and hoses allow water to flow freely. If water leaks inside your house the first time you use a faucet or hose outside, there may have been a frozen pipe that is now cracked, and it must be replaced.
- Clean out all gutters, downspouts and yard drains.
- Inspect plumbing vent pipes for any birds that may have built nests there.
We hope you find these tips useful and you learned something new! Give us a call if you have any concerns when it comes to the plumbing in your home.