Spring Plumbing Tips

This spring, homeowners should check all parts of the plumbing throughout the home. Check faucets, outside spigots, and all parts of your plumbing inside and outside of the home. Beyond checking to ma

This spring, homeowners should check all parts of the plumbing throughout the home. Check faucets, outside spigots, and all parts of your plumbing inside and outside of the home. Beyond checking to make sure the valves work properly, check for leaking pipes and puddles of water on the ground and floor.

1. Look for Broken Hose Bibs and Frozen Pipes.
Water freezing in plumbing pipes can cause major plumbing damage. Often, plumbing repairs are necessitated by water that’s expanded into ice, bursting pipes and other plumbing components throughout the home. When shifting from liquid to ice, water swells by 9%. This is why homeowners should shut off and drain pipes and hoses prior to hard freezing in winter.

If you discover ice damage, arrange for several quotes from local plumbers.

2. Replace Gaskets on Dripping Faucets.
Assuming you’re not a complete plumbing novice, you might be able to fix a leaky faucet. Nine times out of ten, the cause of the leak is a cracked or worn down gasket. This simple part can be found at the local hardware store. If it is too much of a hassle, and you are not 100% certain what you are doing, it is always best to call a plumbing professional.

3. Cleaning Away Mineral Build-Up From Faucets.
White vinegar is a plumbing must-have. Place it in a plastic baggie, hang that bag on the faucet with a rubber band, and let it soak for twenty-four hours. The vinegar naturally breaks down mineral deposits that have built up, and limit your water pressure.

4. Filters Over Your Drains.
As a good plumber can vouch, placing filters over each one of your drains in your home can prevent clogs and costly plumbing repairs.

5. Clean gutters, drains, and downspouts.
Cleaning gutters, drains, and downspouts of debris can prevent leaks as well as mildew and mold growth. Once your roof’s drainage system is clear, examine your property for plumbing vents. Check that each vent is clear of sticks, leaves, dirt and debris. If you don’t have a ladder to check high vents, you can call a plumber for assistance. Good plumbing companies don’t just do plumbing repair, most also offer preventive, maintenance plumbing services.

6. Spring Toilet Care 101.
The sooner you catch toilet leaks, the better. A toilet leak can seep into the flooring, weaken structural beams and cause a collapse. Check your toilet for damage by looking for exterior cracks. Also look for water on the floor, seeping through the caulk around the bottom. This indicates that the wax seal on the bottom of the toilet is broken and must be fixed and replaced. Also check for a loose handle on the toilet, or one that has to be held down in order for it to flush. Many of these plumbing repairs are inexpensive. These simple fixes can save you a lot of money on water costs over the long haul.

To find out if your toilet is leaking internally, place a few of drops of food coloring into the tank. Wait about a half hour, and then check for food coloring in the bowl. If you find coloring there, you do indeed have an internal leak. This is usually the time to call a home plumbing professional.

To ensure a complete springtime home plumbing examination, check your water heater (around the entire tank), dishwasher, sump pumps (make sure you have a backup sump pump), and clothes washer for leaks and other plumbing problems.