Autumn Plumbing Tips

Autumn Plumbing Tips

It’s that time of year again! 

Autumn Plumbing Tips — Oh, the hot and humid days of summer are coming to an end, the trees are to show off soon, the leaves of changing color, the air is getting cooler, and you need to start making a list and thinking about preparing your home for the autumn season. One of the most important things you can do to prepare your home for autumn is to ensure all of your plumbing is in good working order. Here are a few tips to help you get your pipes, water heater, and sump pump ready for the autumn season:

  1. Drain and clean your gutters. Leaves, sticks, and other debris may get stuck in and clog your gutters, which can lead to water damage to your home. So, remove all leaves and debris from your gutters before the rains begin.
  2. Check your outdoor faucets for leaks. Autumn is the perfect season and an excellent time to check your outdoor faucets for leaks. If you find a leak, repair it before the cold weather sets in.
  3. Insulate your pipes. Pipes can freeze and burst if they are not adequately insulated. Be sure to wrap any exposed pipes in insulation to protect them from the cold weather.
  4. Drain and flush your water heater. Sediment may build up in your water heater over time, leading to inefficient operation and increased energy costs. Draining and flushing your water heater will remove the residue and help keep your heater running all autumn smoothly.
  5. Test your sump pump. The sump pump is designed and built to remove water from your basement during a flood. So, test your sump pump before the rainy season begins to ensure it is working correctly.
  6. Autumn is a great time to have your septic tank pumped and inspected. This will help prevent any problems from developing over the winter months.
  7. Keep a check on your monthly water bill. If you notice a sudden increase in your usage, it could signify a hidden leak, so ensure leaks are repaired as soon as possible to avoid costly water damage.

Following these simple tips will help you get your plumbing ready for autumn. By taking the time to prepare your plumbing for the season, you can avoid costly repairs and may keep your home safe and comfortable all autumn long.

Autumn Plumbing Tips Plumbing Gadgets for Autumn:

Autumn Plumbing Tips

As the weather gets cooler and the leaves fall, it’s time to start thinking about autumnal plumbing. A few essential gadgets can help make your plumbing system more efficient and effective this season. So, go check out just a few of the items we think and have picked as the best plumbing gadgets for autumn:

  1. A good drain snake. A drain snake is an essential gadget and a great way to clear out any clogs that may have formed over the summer. Having one on hand is also a good idea if you experience unexpected drainage issues.
  2. A water pressure regulator. This is a must-have for any home with a well or other private water source. A water pressure regulator will help ensure that your water pressure is consistent, even as the weather gets cooler and the demand on your system increases.
  3. A tankless water heater. This type of water heater can be a great addition to any home, but it’s especially beneficial in autumn. A tankless water heater will provide hot water on demand without storing it in a tank. This can save you both space and energy.
  4. A quality plunger. A good plunger is always handy, but it’s essential in autumn when leaves and other debris can clog up your drains. Make sure you have a plunger that’s up for the task.
  5. A set of pipe insulation sleeves. Using pipe insulation sleeves is another excellent way to save energy and space in your home. Pipe insulation sleeves can help keep your pipes from freezing in the colder weather.

With these five essential gadgets, you’ll be prepared for anything autumn throws your way!

How to prevent build-ups that clog drains

How to prevent build-ups that clog drains

Buildup, buildup, buildup. Do you see your clogged drain as the bane of your shower-taking existence? You can do certain things to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So, here may be some common reasons, and we’ll give you some tips on how to prevent build-ups that clog drains, without breaking a sweat.

 

A Clogged Drain Can Be a Pain to Fix

With busy lives, we may not be paying attention to the hair that drops into your shower drain every day, but it tends to pile up rather quickly-especially if you have long hair or live with a variety of people who also tend to shed their hair. This excess hair can clog up your drain, and clogs are relatively tricky to cleanout. Sometimes you have to call a plumber to pry it free, but here are some ideas for clogged drains that might save you the trouble of getting someone else involved if you can do it yourself.

clogged-drainImportant Tips

  1. Make sure you squeeze the excess water from your hair before you go clogging up your shower drain.
  2. If you have a clog, try using a plunger on the clogged drain first – this will probably do the trick most of the time!
  3. Make sure you’re not overloading your washing machine with too much soap or fabric softener. This can cause residue to clog up your drains. If you’re using a lot of soap, try switching to a liquid version instead.
  4. Try boiling water down the clogged drain – pouring a pot or two of boiling water into a clogged shower sink might help melt any clogs sitting on top of the drain without getting too far inside.
  5. Make sure you’re not clogging your drains with food scraps, especially grease or oil, which can solidify and clog up pipes like cement!
  1. If all else fails, make sure to call a professional to take care of your clogged shower drain for you! It might be frustrating to pay someone else to clear the clog when you know how to do it yourself, but they’ve got the equipment necessary to get clogs out that you don’t have.

How to prevent build-ups that clog drains

When the weather starts to get cooler, drains can become clogged. A few steps can be taken to prevent this and save money in the long run. Follow these steps to avoid clogged drains this season.

Keep Drains Clear

Drains are more likely to become clogged in the fall, so it’s essential to keep them clear this season. To keep drains clear of grease and other buildups, run hot water with a cup of baking soda and vinegar, and if there is still standing water in the drain, use boiling water. Like this, you can prevent your drains from becoming clogged with grease or dirt debris.

Get Rid of Excess Hair

Before it gets cold, be sure to get rid of excess hair in the shower. This means cleaning out drains and disposing of hair that won’t come free promptly.

Run the Heat and Air

The heater and air conditioner can be used to prevent clogged drains. Running these appliances will help dry out the drain and remove excess moisture that could cause a clog.

If these steps are taken, you can prevent your drain from becoming clogged and save money in the long run.

A clogged drain is a bummer, but there are plenty of different things that can cause clogs in your shower. You have to find the right solution for your clog and keep your drains unclogged so you can keep taking relaxing showers without all of the clogs.

Plumbing Checklist

Don’t forget plumbing checklist!

Home plumbing checklist! When you are in the market to buy a new or old home, there are countless things to check and clean. One essential thing is the plumbing system. While part of this is covered by the seller and done before you take occupancy, there may still be things that need your attention when you start using it.

 

Check for Leaks

Checking for leaks or water damage is one of the most crucial things the seller usually looks at. Leakage in sinks and showers, but something that often slips through the cracks is slow-draining sinks and fixtures. If these haven’t been replaced, make sure to deal with them as soon as possible because leaks may cause serious damage to your home if left unattended for too long.

Check Water Quality

There’s not much point in getting a new home if the water quality is terrible. It’s usually listed somewhere on the deed, but it never hurts to ask about it. A water softener can be installed on every tap in your home for around $100, and you may find them at most hardware or plumbing store.

Check Water Pressure

If it isn’t already, make sure the place you’re buying has decent water pressure. Water pressure usually isn’t an issue for most people, but if you like to take long showers, it might be more of a problem than you expect, and while some things can be done about it (like installing a water tower), they aren’t cheap or easy solutions.

Check Local Water Regulations

This won’t matter much unless you’re planning on doing some major renovations to your home, but it’s good to know before you buy. Most municipalities will require any plumber working in their jurisdiction to be licensed. So, this means that if you hire an independent contractor (recommended for all plumbing work), they’ll need to go through the local licensing process, which can take up to three months.

Keep Utilities Separate

If the house doesn’t already have separate utilities (gas and water bills), make sure they are installed as soon as possible. Not only does this help keep track of your expenses, but it also makes repairs much more accessible since everything isn’t connected.

Check Quality of Pipes

While not necessarily dangerous, old galvanized steel piping should be replaced whenever possible. Galvanized steel is a good and inexpensive material, but it erodes very quickly in water at high temperatures and can lead to leaks and breakages.

According to many sources, PVC piping is the most accessible replacement if you need upgrades because it has over 100 years. Ensure that local codes have approved everything before making any changes and that a permit has been acquired if necessary.

Check the Sewer Line

The sewer line should be inspected every couple of years to make sure it isn’t cracked, collapsed, or damaged in any way by tree roots. Tree roots can be one of the most severe causes of damage to piping, which is why many areas have decided to prevent them from entering their systems by banning trees (or at least big ones) from being planted near where pipes lie. Suppose you’re buying a house with an existing tree. In that case, you might want to consider removing it even if it doesn’t seem like there’s much risk involved since having to replace your system later on, is not only inconvenient but very expensive as well.

Check for Signs of Damage

A big part of a plumbing checklist is looking for past damager. So, even if everything appears to be in perfect working order and there are no signs of damage at home, you still want to ensure that everything looks as it should. Look for discoloration and peeling paint which can indicate aging pipes and rusting joints. If there is any, they will need to be replaced before long, or they’ll soon become a problem.

Plumbing checklist

Check out the article on Realtor.com What does a home inspector Look for?

Check the Floor Drains

The floor usually drains last forever, but if something has gone wrong with them, then it’s best if you know about it right away, so you don’t have to deal with flooding later on. Floor drains are most commonly used for washing machines, sinks, and dishwashers, but sometimes the lines connecting them back up main lines enter your home, then call a professional right away. You don’t want anything catastrophic happening before you know about it.

Inspect Floors

It never hurts for new homeowners to look under their homes from time to time and cause them to flood after use or when water pressure increases (like during a storm). Installing an overflow kit on your drains ($20 or less at any hardware store) is very easy and quick, and it could save you a lot of money in the long run.

Check for Signs of Leaks

Leaks can be a huge annoyance, especially if they go unnoticed for too long. They can lead to severe water damage, which will make your home less desirable to others and can even lead to rot in flooring and other materials if gone unchecked. If you see any signs of dampness or discoloration near where pipes are entering, don’t hesitate to call a plumber.

It’s also wise to turn off your house’s main shutoff valve (usually near the water meter) whenever there is a chance of it being frozen during the winter months. If this happens, turning off your home’s supply can be as simple as flicking a switch from inside.

Floating Manifold Problems

Many homes have a “floating” water heater manifold. That means that the individual supply lines from each fixture are connected to it, so they all share one shutoff. If only two of those connections were made instead of three, there might be a problem.

For example, if both washers and showers tap into this shared manifold but only one is hooked up via supply line, the water heater won’t get any hot unless someone is using both appliances at once or unless someone turns on every faucet in the house (since cold connections cause them to draw heat instead).

You’ll need to call your plumber, who will run an additional line between fixtures to solve this issue. It’s not something most homeowners can do themselves.

Inspecting “floating” or wall-hung manifolds has been compared to feeling around in the dark because there isn’t any visible sign of damage. However, if enough metal fatigue accumulates, it could cause a leak, quickly leading to rot and rust. So, be sure to keep a check on any signs of corrosion and have them replaced as soon as possible.

Washing Machine Hoses

One of the most common household repairs seen everywhere is replacing washing machine hoses. Washing machine hoses are typically designed to only last around five years. When new, these hoses should be nice and rigid, but after time they begin to get soft and “squishy.” Furthermore, if ignored for too long, their inner lining can become brittle, which will lead to splitting when water pressure suddenly increases or when somebody moves an appliance that it’s connected to. Such a hose could leak quickly, so older homeowners may want to inspect them more often than newer homeowners.

To accomplish this, you’ll need a plumber whose couple of other warning signs are bulging in the middle of the hose or small leaks around the ends where it attaches to appliances or fixtures. If any of this happens, replace the hose as soon as possible. Washing machines and water heaters typically work harder when somebody is washing their clothes or taking a shower, so if your home’s pressure suddenly drops, it might indicate that the old hose has started to fail.

Flush Out Your Water Heater

Water heaters are built with small tubes inside them that help distribute hot water to appliances all over your home. These tubes are prone to mineral buildup over time, even though newer models have much better insulation, which slows this process down. The only way to clean these hot water heating elements is by draining the tank completely, flushing out all of the sediments, then refilling with fresh water.

To accomplish this, you’ll need a plumber who can safely shut off your home’s main shutoff, drain the water heater and hook up a hose to the bottom of it. Afterward, flushing will begin and should take anywhere from one to two hours.

One warning sign that it’s time for an element flush is when the water coming out of your hot faucets starts to look brown or grey. Clothes washed in such water will come out dingy because they’ll get covered in sediment as well. You may also be able to hear sediment flowing through the pipes, which could indicate that it’s entering your washing machine (this causes gray residue on fabrics).

If any of this sounds too familiar, it might be time to call a trusted plumber. This job shouldn’t cost more than a few hundred dollars since you can do most of the work yourself, so it’s worthwhile, especially if you have low water pressure or your water heater is older than ten years.

New help with your plumbing checklist? Call Poole’s Pluming to learn all of your options, or learn more at: www.poolesplumbing.com