Expert Guide to Spring Plumbing Maintenance
You may already be aware that your heating and AC equipment needs annual HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but did you know that you also need to call an expert for annual plumbing maintenance? McKinley Heating Service Experts offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for Edmonton homeowners to help them uncover issues before they become big problems. While you should definitely call immediately for plumbing problems and plan your plumbing maintenance yearly, here are three ways to get your home in ideal plumbing shape for spring.
- Check for plumbing leaks
Check both your faucets and toilets for any leaks. When you turn off your faucets check around the connections for water dripping out; if there is, installing new fixtures or repairing the leak could help improve the faucet’s performance and may even reduce your water bill.
After the faucets, inspect all exposed pipes for indications of leaks. You can typically see visible pipes in the basement and under sinks. Sometimes pipes can freeze and then crack so spring is the perfect time to make sure the winter weather didn’t cause any damage or plumbing problems.
- Give your drains some much needed TLC
Examine your toilet for any cracks or leaks in the bowl and the tank. If everything appears to be in good condition, go ahead and add about six drops of food coloring into the tank water. Wait for about 35 minutes and then check the bowl. If the bowl water is clear, you’re in the clear. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you possibly have a leak and will want to call a plumbing expert.
- Don’t neglect your water heater maintenance
If an unpleasant odor seems to be getting in from any of the drains in your home, it may be a sign that plumbing maintenance is necessary. A properly working drain shouldn’t release smells into the air. Check to make sure there are strains inserted in all your drains to stop hair and other waste from spoiling in the pipes and causing them to clog. After you’ve treated with a common drain cleaner, pour eight pints of water down drains that are not used often. This will fill the trap and help to prevent odors from coming in and smelling up your home.
Your water heater takes excellent care of you so be sure you’re returning the favor. Don’t forget that newer water heaters have a higher efficiency, so if yours is older than 15 years, it may be about time to invest in a new one to help make sure you don’t have that sudden burst of cold water for several days. Whether or not you plan on investing in a new water heater, there are some things you can do to help keep it running properly.
Make sure the temperature setting on the equipment is not set higher than 120°F. This will help reduce your energy consumption (and help reduce your bills) while also evading scalding. For safety sake, you will want to relocate any objects from around the water heater. Your annual Plumbing PLUS Maintenance agreement includes a water heater maintenance; and it may even help your water heater be more efficient and avoid plumbing problems in the future.
These are just some ways of how to help get your plumbing springtime-ready, but if you are not comfortable completing any of these tasks, please call McKinley Heating Service Experts and we can come out and complete your seasonal plumbing maintenance and repair (or help stop) any plumbing problems.
