Easy Summer Plumbing Tips

Summer time is when your water consumption is at its peak, and your plumbing gets to work almost double time. Think swimming pools, garden sprinklers, repeated showers, etc. These things all add up to the wear and tear of your home’s plumbing system. To ensure that everything stays in top condition, we’ve compiled a number of easy summer plumbing tips for you.

1. Check all fixtures and lines for leaks, clogs, and other problems. You could be paying more than you should if something is not running properly in your home’s plumbing system.
2. If you’re leaving home for a short vacation, make sure to turn off your main water valve and water heaters. Doing so will save you from coming home to a house that’s already flooded, or other unexpected plumbing problems.
3. Tend to your plants in the early morning or early evening, when it’s no longer hot. Watering your plants when the sun is still up will just make the water evaporate quickly.
4. Have your plumbing system checked by the experts regularly. It’s better to find a problem while it’s still relatively small than when it’s already large scale and more difficult and expensive to fix.
5. Take note of any changes in the water pressure in your faucets. Low water pressure could mean expanding pipes. This could lead to leaks, or worse, your pipes could burst anytime. It’s best to be prepared by calling your plumber to check your pipes as soon as you notice a decrease in your water pressure.
6. Check if any of your faucets and other fixtures are loose. Loose connections cause leaks.
7. Check hoses such as that of the washing machine, your garden hose, and others for leaks, cracks or bulges caused by the heat. Immediately replace damaged hoses. Rubber hoses normally have an average life span of three years, after which they should be replaced.
8. Flush out sediments that could build up in your water heater tank using several gallons of water. Turning it off during summer time will also save you money by cutting electricity cost.
9. Check your walls for signs of water leaks by pressing on them. If the walls seem soft and appear moist out of nowhere, it could be a sign of a leak. Have them checked immediately.
10. Watch what goes down your drain. Even small pieces of food can cause blockages, as well as grease and oils. Dispose of leftover food on plates before placing them on the sink to make sure they don’t go down the drain.

These are just a few tips that should be on your plumbing checklist this summer season. Making sure that your pipes are in good condition and without blockages or leaks is the bottom line to preventing plumbing problems from erupting. And, like any other problem, prevention is always better than cure so it would be best to keep problems with plumbing as far away from your home as possible.