Fall is in the air. The leaves will soon be changing, and the weather will be right behind it.
And while we may think that means pumpkin spice everything and cute, cozy decorations around our house, it also means something more serious. It’s time to hire plumbing services to do a fall maintenance check.
With colder months approaching, you want to make sure everything is up-to-date and in working order before that time hits. Follow these plumbing tips to make sure you are prepared for the months ahead.
1. Get a Hot Water Heater Inspection
When it comes time for fall to roll around, that means winter is also right around the corner.
To ensure that you are ready for when the cold hits, you’ll want to get a hot water heater inspection to make sure it is in good working condition. If anything needs to be fixed, you will want to take care of that before it is cold out.
2. Insulate Your Pipes
If there are exposed pipes in your house, you’ll want them to be insulated so that they don’t get too cold or even freeze. If that happens, your pipes have a high chance of bursting.
To insulate them, try using fiberglass, pipe sleeves, or insulation tape. This will help during the cold winter months to keep them from freezing or bursting.
3. Disconnect Outdoor Hoses
During the winter months, you’ll want to avoid using the outdoor hose. Since they are rubber, constantly freezing and thawing can actually cause the rubber hose to crack and weaken over time.
During the fall, you should disconnect these hoses from the spigot and make sure all the water is out. Store them somewhere inside like a garage.
4. Seal Cracks in Your Home
If you notice any cracks in your home, you need to seal them so that they do not let in cold air. This will negatively affect your plumbing system as well as the condition of your pipes.
If you are letting too much cold air in throughout the winter months, you will also end up paying more in heating bills during these months.
You should caulk, weather strip, or use insulation in addition to fully sealing all of the cracks.
5. Maintain the Gutters
One of the most important fall plumbing tips that you can do (one that is also not preparation but routine maintenance) is making sure your gutters are clean.
If there are too many leaves in the gutters, this will block the proper drainage of water and lead to other problems that need plumbing maintenance.
Follow These Plumbing Tips
With fall right around the corner, it’s more important than ever to make sure you follow these plumbing tips as we go into the colder months.
At McWilliams & Son Heating and Cooling service, we can make sure that your routine plumbing maintenance is taken care of this season. Contact us so we can help!
