Expert Guide to Spring Plumbing Maintenance

You may already understand that your heating and AC equipment needs annual HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but were you aware that you also should have an expert perform your annual plumbing maintenance? Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for the U.S. homeowners to help them find issues before they become big problems. While we recommend calling immediately for plumbing problems and arrange for your plumbing maintenance every year, here are a couple ways to get your home in ideal plumbing shape for spring.

• • Check for plumbing leaks

Inspect your home’s 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, installing new fixtures or repairing the leak could help enhance the faucet’s operation and may even reduce your water bill.

Once you’ve checked the faucets, scan any exposed pipes for signs of leaks. You can often see visible pipes in the basement and under sinks. Sometimes pipes can freeze and then crack so spring is the perfect time to make sure the winter weather didn’t cause any damage or plumbing problems.

• •       Give your drains some much needed care

Examine your toilet for any leaks or cracks in both the bowl and tank. If everything looks like it’s in good working order, go ahead and put about six drops of food coloring into the tank. Wait 30 minutes and then check the bowl. If the water in the bowl is clear, you’re fine. If the dye appears in the bowl, you possibly have a leak and need to call a plumbing expert.

• •       Don’t neglect your water heater maintenance

If a stench seems to be getting in from any of the drains in your home, it could be a sign that plumbing maintenance is necessary. A properly functioning drain shouldn’t release smells into the air. Confirm there are strains installed in all your drains to stop hair and other remains from spoiling in the pipes and resulting in a clog. Once you’ve treated them with a common drain cleaner, pour four quarts of water into drains that are not used regularly. This will fill the trap and help to avoid odors from seeping in and filling up your home.

Your water heater takes great care of you so be sure you’re returning the love. Keep in mind that newer water heaters have a higher efficiency, so if yours is older than 15 years, it is probably about time to invest in a new one to be sure you don’t have that unexpected burst of cold water for multiple days. Regardless if you plan on investing in a new water heater, there are a couple things you can do to help keep it functioning properly.

Make sure the temperature setting on the equipment is not set higher than 120°F. This will help reduce your energy usage (and help decrease your bills) while also preventing scalding. For safety sake, you will want to relocate any objects from around the water heater. Your yearly Plumbing PLUS Maintenance agreement includes a water heater maintenance; and it may actually help your water heater operate more efficiently and avoid plumbing problems from happening.

These are just a few ways of how you can help get your plumbing ready for spring, but if you are not comfortable completing any of these tasks, please call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing and we can come out and conduct your annual plumbing maintenance and rectify (or help avoid) any plumbing problems.