Now that fall is here, it’s time to start thinking about seasonal upkeep for your home. While winter may seem far away, the fall is the greatest time to complete your winter preparedness checklist. We have 7 plumbing maintenance tips to get your home safe and ready for winter to help you prepare for the colder months.
1. Hoses for the Garden
Water inside your water hoses might freeze and expand if they are kept connected during colder weather. This growth might cause your home’s faucets and any related pipes to freeze and break. Simply detach your water hoses, drain any remaining water, and store them in a dry spot to help prevent this.
2. Faucets for Outside
Check the faucet for any leaks or drips after you remove the hose. Fall is the best time to repair any outside faucets that leak or drip. During a freeze, a leaking faucet can cause water damage and serious plumbing problems. Cover and insulate your outside faucets with a styrofoam insulation kit once they are fully fixed.
3. Shutdown on the inside
An interior shut-off valve connected to the outside faucets and pipes may be installed in your home. To ensure there is no lingering water in the line that could freeze, close the internal valve and open the exterior faucet valve.
4. Pipe insulation
If any of your pipes are located in a non-heated area, such as a crawl space or garage, it is critical that they be insulated. During the winter, this protection will keep your pipes from freezing.
5. Gaps in Sealing
It’s typical for gaps between the walls and the pipes to form in regions where pipes enter your home. Cold air can enter through these openings, causing a spike in your utility bill and possibly causing pipes to freeze. Examine where pipes enter your home and use weather stripping, caulking, and insulation to close any gaps. For professional ideas about this, start contacting plumbing schools near me to avail plumbing level 1 course near me.
6. Pumps for Sump
If your sump pump is exposed to extremely cold conditions, it may freeze and become inoperable. Check to see if your sump pump is properly insulated and clean.
7. Heaters for Water
As the seasons change, your water heater will have to work much harder to maintain the same quantity of hot water. Have the tank completely flushed to help your water heater function as efficiently as possible.
You can cleanse the water heater to remove sediment accumulation that prevents optimum heat transfer. You may need to start a master plumber course to professionally be able to maintain water heat.
Why is Fall Plumbing Maintenance essential?
Simple plumbing repair activities completed in the fall can save you a lot of effort and money in the future. A small oversight, such as forgetting to disconnect your hose before winter, can result in frozen, cracked, or broken pipes, wreaking havoc on your entire plumbing system. We strongly advise you to follow our fall plumbing advice to help avoid such problems.
To conclude
Despite the fact that it appears to be a lot of effort, following these fall plumbing maintenance tips is considerably easier, less expensive, and time-consuming than the alternative. If you require the assistance of a professional plumber in your search for plumbing harmony, or you want to have personal touch at your home, utilize the plumbing level 1 course near me and take a master plumber course immediately.