Summer Plumbing Maintenance Tips Your System Needs Right Away
Late spring and early summer are prime times for inclement weather, including heavy thunderstorms and even hurricanes, for Mid-Atlantic residents. These causes of potentially heavy rains can wreck havoc on your home’s plumbing system if you aren’t properly prepared. The following plumbing maintenance tips will help you get your outdoor and indoor plumbing and drainage systems ready for the forthcoming wet weather:
- Ensure your sump pump is primed and ready for action. If you haven’t inspected the efficiency of your sump pump in some time, now is that time! Simply pour a couple buckets of water into the sump pump pit. The unit’s ‘float’ should trigger the pump, which will drain and discharge the added water before shutting back off. If something goes awry during this process, contact a professional plumber.
- Get back-up batteries for the sump pump. In the case of power outages, which frequently occur during heavy storms and hurricane-like weather, a battery back-up will keep your pump working and prevent costly water damage.
- Clean up the gutters and drain spouts. Clogged gutters and drain spouts contribute to mold growth, leaks, and structural water damage- all of which are huge homeowner headaches.
- Inspect for leaks. This seems like a common sense plumbing maintenance tips, but you’d be surprised how many people fail to routinely check underneath their sinks for potential leaks. Any faucet drips or fixture leaks should be repaired as soon as possible.
- Use strainers. Install strainers in all of your home’s drains to prevent soap, hair, and other debris from going down and forming clogs inside your plumbing.
- Pour water down infrequently used drains. Maybe you have a half-bath that rarely gets used, or an abandoned sink in the laundry room. For these infrequently used drains, it’s important to regularly pour a couple buckets of water down them to eliminate potential bad odors from seeping up from your plumbing system.
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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