Plumbing Maintenance Checks to Get You Ready for Fall

The arrival of fall means it’s time to take care of plumbing maintenance chores so your home is protected when the temperature dips below the freezing mark. Performing the following checks can help you avoid unnecessary water damage and plumbing repair bills:

• Disconnect the outdoor garden hose. If it freezes while connected, the outdoor faucet and the pipes leading indoors could expand and crack, resulting in a water leak that damages your home’s interior.
• Check the condition of the outdoor spigot. If it leaks or drips, repair or replace it while it’s still above freezing outdoors. Place an inexpensive Styrofoam cover over the faucet to insulate it from the winter cold.
• If you have an indoor shut-off valve for the outdoor faucet, shut it, then open the outdoor spigot and drain the lines. If you don’t have a shut-off, contact a licensed plumber and have one installed before the cold weather arrives.
• Using foam pipe insulation, wrap any accessible water pipes that run through uninsulated areas of the home. If you have sections of pipe that are exposed and extra vulnerable to freezing, run heat cables or heat tape to protect them.
• To help your water heater operate efficiently during colder weather, follow your manufacturer’s instructions on how to flush it to remove accumulated sediment.
• Once all the leaves have fallen, clean out the gutters and downspouts so that water from any mid-season thaws can easily drain away.
• Inspect and test the basement sump pump to ensure that it’s fully functional, and clean out any debris from the sump pit.
• Before leaving the house unoccupied for any extended period during the winter, turn off the water at the main valve and open all the faucets to drain the water lines completely. Leave the heat on with the thermostat set to at least 55 degrees while you’re gone.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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