Preparing your plumbing for winter might seem like the more usual thing to do, but when spring arrives, it’s the perfect time to check on your plumbing. The weather is getting warmer, but there could also be a lot of rain on the way. The cold could have damaged certain parts of your home’s plumbing, so checking that it’s ok is essential. You might be preparing your garden for spring too, which could mean you’re about to start watering it a lot more. The changing of the seasons gives you the ideal time to check up on your plumbing and make any repairs for the rest of the season.
Sort Out Your Yard
Your yard might not seem to have much to do with your plumbing, but it’s a good place to start if you want to ensure everything is in working order. Your storm drains and downspouts count as part of your plumbing, and making sure your gutters are clear is useful too. You can check that downspouts face away from the foundation of your home, which prevents water gathering where it shouldn’t and point toward the street for efficient drainage. Make sure your storm drains are clear too so that they can handle a lot of water. Keeping your hard tidy helps to keep them clean by preventing debris from blocking them up.
Check the Water Pressure from Your Faucets
Lackluster water pressure isn’t going to make you happy, so now is a good time to check that it’s working correctly. You can turn on any faucets you have indoors or outdoors to see if they offer the level of water pressure that you’re looking for. Do it on both hot and cold so that you can make sure you’re still getting the same level of pressure, no matter which one you use. It can sometimes take a while for the water to get going, especially if you haven’t used an outdoor faucet over the winter, but it should kick in after a few seconds. If you notice that the pressure isn’t great, it could be because there’s a leak somewhere. Finding it and fixing it is important if you don’t want it to get worse.
Inspect Exposed Pipes
Ideally, you should protect and insulate your pipes over the winter. But if you didn’t do that or some pipes have become exposed again, you should check them over to see if there has been any damage. If water has frozen and expanded inside any of your pipes, both indoors and outdoors, it could have caused cracks and other issues. If you spot cracks before they can get too bad, you can repair them, so they don’t develop into bigger problems. Look out for moss or discoloration too, as these could be signs that there is damage that you can’t see.
Check Your Water Heater
Your water heater needs to work well all year, and spring is a good time to check on it and ensure it’s all in working order. Flushing out your water heater is a good idea, as it will get rid of any buildup of sediment that could prevent your heater from working at its proper efficiency. Have a look inside the water heater to check for any cracks or other damage too, even if you have a model that has anti-freeze technology built into it. You can also take the time to descale your water heater, particularly if you live in an area where the water is hard.
Look for Toilet Leaks
A leaking toilet is another thing you don’t want to have to deal with. Fortunately, it’s simple to check if you have a leak yourself – although you might not want to tackle any repairs. If you put some food dye in the tank and wait a while, you can then check to see if any has leaked down into the toilet bowl. If you see any color in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired. A plumber can fix it quickly and get everything back to normal and in working order again.
Inspect Your Sump Pump
A sump pump is not only fun to say, but it’s also a pretty important part of your plumbing to pay attention to. If you’re about to get some heavy spring rain, it’s especially necessary to make sure it’s working so it can remove all the rainwater that could potentially build up. Check that you know where your sump pump is first – you’ll often find it in your basement. Inspect everything to be sure it’s all in the right place, and remove any debris from the outdoor drain. You should also have a look at the electrical components to see if there are any problems that might need to be repaired.
Check Your Irrigation System
If you have an in-ground irrigation system, taking a look at all the components for it is a smart thing to do. In particular, there is a backflow device which ensures that potable water isn’t contaminated, and this part needs to be working. Look carefully for anything that could be damaged or anything that isn’t working properly. If you notice any problems, make sure you get them fixed before you start watering your garden. Get it all working, and you can safely take care of your lawn or other garden elements during the spring and summer.
Look Out for Any Leaks
Some issues with links could make themselves apparent when it starts to get warmer in the spring. When the weather was colder, some problem spots could have been frozen, preventing them from dripping or leaking. But now that it’s warmer, it could start to pose a problem in your home and cause water intrusion. Look out for strange smells, standing pools of water or water spots on the floor, walls or ceiling that could. These could all indicate a leak.
Get a professional to help you out if you suspect a plumbing problem this spring. They can offer advice and help you fix any issues.