Spring provides the perfect opportunity to check in on how well your plumbing is functioning. Waiting until something breaks or malfunctions can end up costing you in time and money; running through this quick 4-step spring plumbing maintenance checklist will alert you to any major and potentially costly plumbing issues.
1. Inspect your faucets for leaks!
Leaky faucets can lead to bigger water bills and wasted money. To prevent your money from going down the drain, take the time to inspect all of the faucets in your house. Turn the water on and off and see if any drips remain; take a look at the pipes underneath your sink to catch any leaks there as well.
After inspecting faucets, inspect accessible pipes for evidence of leaks. These are the visible pipes in your basement or crawl space. Extreme weather can cause pipes to freeze, making spring the ideal time check that winter weather didn’t cause any damage. Check all your exterior hose bibbs for leaks as well.
2. Check how well your toilet is working!
Homeowners often ignore minor toilet issues, but if you have to jiggle or wrangle your toilet’s handle in order to flush, your toilet needs some replacement 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 Roberts Plumbing.
3. Make sure that all your drains are protected with filters!
Hair, soap buildup and other debris can easily block your drains, leading to backed up sinks and tubs and potentially damaging clogs. By purchasing inexpensive and removable filters to place over all of your home’s drains, you can easily prevent blocked drains.
4. Clean your shower heads!
Over time, mineral deposits in your water can clog your shower heads, leading to lower water pressure and less satisfying showers. Breaking up the clog doesn’t require expensive cleaning solutions, however. Simply removing your shower heads and soaking them in plain white vinegar overnight is sufficient to remove most mineral buildup.
Know your DIY limits!
Finally, while it’s great to do basic plumbing maintenance checks yourself, remember that there’s some work that should only ever be done by a licensed plumber. This includes replacing pipes, fitting new toilets and anything to do with gas. If you have any doubt about the safety of doing something, save yourself the hassle and call a plumber – don’t accidentally turn a simple maintenance job into a PLUMBING EMERGENCY! To make an appointment, call the professionals at Roberts Plumbing, Inc.
