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 require annual plumbing maintenance by an expert? Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for the U.S. homeowners to help them locate issues before they become big problems. While we recommend calling immediately for plumbing problems and arrange for your plumbing maintenance yearly, here are a couple ways you can get your home in tip-top plumbing shape for spring.

• • Inspect for leaks

Check all your faucets and toilets for any leaks. Confirm there is no water dripping out of or around the connections when you shut off your faucets. If there is, replacing the fixtures or repairing the leak could help improve the faucet’s function and may even save you money on your water bill.

After the faucets, check any accessible pipes for evidence of leaks. You can often see visible pipes in the basement and under sinks. Extreme weather can cause pipes to freeze and sometimes crack so spring is the ideal time to make sure the winter weather didn’t cause any damage that would result in plumbing problems.

• •       Give your drains some long overdue care

Check your toilet for any fractures or leaks in both the bowl and tank. If it appears to be in good shape, go ahead and add about six drops of food color into the tank. Wait 30 minutes and then check the bowl. If the bowl is clear, you’re in the clear. If the color appears in the bowl, you might 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 drifting up through any of the drains in your home, it may be a sign that plumbing maintenance is needed. A properly functioning drain shouldn’t release a stench into the air. Verify there are strains inserted in all your drains to avoid hair and other debris from spoiling in the pipes and resulting in a clog. Following treatment 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 avoid odors from seeping in and filling up your home.

Your water heater takes excellent care of you so ensure 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 purchase a new one to be sure you don’t have that unexpected burst of cold water for several days. Regardless if you plan on replacing your water heater, there are a few things you can do to help keep it operating properly.

Verify that the temperature is set no higher than 120°F. This will help reduce your energy use (and help lower your bills) while also evading scalding. As a safety precaution, you will want to remove any objects from around the water heater. Your yearly Plumbing PLUS Maintenance plan includes a water heater maintenance; and it could even help your water heater run more efficiently and avoid plumbing problems moving forward.

These are just a few ways of how you can help get your plumbing springtime-ready, but if you are not confident completing any of these tasks, always feel free to call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing and we can come out and perform your seasonal plumbing maintenance and rectify (or help prevent) any plumbing problems.