Your Quick Spring Plumbing Checklist

With Spring comes the chance to open the windows, clean the house – and check on your plumbing! A little preventative maintenance on your plumbing now will save you time and trouble over the rest of the year.

Here’s a rundown of the plumbing issues you should check into as part of your Spring cleaning!

Kitchen/Bathroom

• The first thing to check in the most plumbing-heavy rooms, like bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms are the pipes themselves to make sure no drips or leaks are occurring. After that, it’s wise to check your water supply valves under your sinks and toilets to make sure they aren’t sticking.
• Check your toilets to make sure they are flushing properly and refilling afterward. If you need to hold the handle down or jiggle it, you most likely need to tighten or replace some parts.
• To easily check for any leaks in your toilet, add six drops of food coloring to the tank of your toilet. If the color appears in the bowl after 30 minutes, your tank is leaking, and it’s best to call R.S. Andrews to have it checked.
• Install a strainer in your shower’s drain if you don’t have one to prevent any future clogging, and consider giving your shower head an overnight soak in vinegar to remove any mineral deposits.

Appliances

• Your water heater is one of the most important plumbing appliances in your home, so make sure you’re up to date on its maintenance.
• Your water heater should be set no higher than 120 degrees, to prevent any scalding and reduce your energy costs.
• Your water heater’s tank should be flushed out periodically, to remove any sediment that could be causing blockage or corrosion and corresponding loss of efficiency.
• The supply hoses for your dishwasher, washing machine, and ice maker should be checked next to make sure there are no leaks or bulges. Any hose that is 10 years old should be replaced, ideally with a more reliable stainless steel hose.

General Plumbing

• It’s important to check infrequently used drains and floor drains, and have them snaked by an R.S. Andrews plumbing technician if needed. Having this done will come in handy if your home ever experiences flooding.
• It’s also important to check the efficiency of your sump pump if you have one. Dump a few buckets of water into the sump pit and make sure it’s running properly. Also, it’s a smart idea to install flood alarms on the lower levels of your house so you are aware immediately if any water is getting into or building up in your home.

Outside

• Cleaning your yard drains, gutters, downspouts, and plumbing vent pipes is important in preventing any water from entering your house when it rains.
• Test your outside faucets and hose bibs to make sure water is running correctly. If the faucet drips, or if there is leaking in your house the first time you turn it on, chances are there is a crack in a pipe, and you’ll need to call R.S. Andrews right away to have it replaced.

Spring is often the time that any plumbing damage that has occurred in the winter shows its effects. This can mean bad things for those who aren’t paying attention.

If you aren’t confident in your abilities to check your plumbing, just give us a call and we’ll be glad to help you – we specialize in detecting problems early on and solving them the right way the first time!