Time to Check Those Pipes!

Your Fall Plumbing Checklist

Fall is here, and we just want to take the opportunity to remind Atlanta residents that fall is the time to get their plumbing ready for winter. Atlanta is nice and warm this weekend, but it won’t be long before your plumbing might be threatened by freezing temperatures, so R.S. Andrews recommends that you apply the following checklist to your home this fall to make sure your plumbing is properly protected.

Exposed Pipes

• Any exposed pipes that carry water into and out of your house should be wrapped with electrical heating tape, and then wrapped in foam pipe insulation.

Exterior Water Faucets and Hoses

• Shut off all faucets on the exterior of your home
• Any open taps and their attachments (hoses, sprinklers, etc.) should be fully drained and placed in storage
• If your home has an automatic sprinkler system, it should be shut off and drained as well

Hot Water Heater

• An easy way to protect your hot water heater from freezing, and also make it run more efficiently, is to wrap the heater in an insulating blanket. Insulating blankets can be found at most hardware and home improvement stores.

Overall Plumbing System Check

Since you’re already checking your home’s plumbing in preparation for winter, it’s a good idea to look at the following areas as well:

• Leaky faucets – these are often easy to fix yourself, and should be repaired as soon as possible. If a faucet is leaking, check the top area of the faucet, the pipes beneath the sink and the area underneath the cabinet, as leaks can occur in all of these areas.
• Pipes – since you’re checking the external pipes, it’s a good time to check out the other pipes in your house as well. If you’ve noticed any soft spots on walls or ceilings, it may be an indication of pipes leaking inside the walls or in the attic.
• Toilets – check all the toilets to ensure that they are flushing properly and not running. Check the hardware and any caulking that hold the toilet in place to make sure it’s firm.
• Caulking – if you notice any caulking around showers, tubs, toilets or sinks peeling or coming loose, peel it off all the way and reapply caulk to that area.

Winterizing your plumbing now will save you from facing costly emergency repairs in the dead of winter. If you’re worried about what condition your plumbing is in, call R.S. Andrews today to schedule a Clean Pipes Tune-Up so you can rest assured that your plumbing is in tip-top shape and ready for whatever weather Atlanta faces this winter.