Expert Guide to Spring Plumbing Maintenance

You may already be aware that your heating and cooling equipment needs annual HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but were you aware that you also need to call an expert for annual plumbing maintenance? Coastal Service Experts offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for Savannah homeowners to help them discover issues before they turn into big problems. While you should always call for plumbing problems and schedule your plumbing maintenance yearly, here are three ways to get your home in great plumbing shape for spring.

Inspect all your faucets and toilets for any leaks. Make sure there isn’t any water dripping out of or around the connections when you turn off your faucets. If there is, swapping out the fixtures or repairing the leak could help enhance the faucet’s operation and may even save you money on your water bill.

Once you’ve checked the faucets, inspect all accessible pipes for evidence of leaks. You can usually find 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.

Examine your toilet for any leaks or cracks in both the bowl and tank. If it seems to be in good condition, go ahead and add about six drops of food color into the tank. Wait 30 minutes and then check the bowl. If the bowl water is clear, you’re good to go. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you possibly have a leak and need to call a plumbing expert.

If an unpleasant odor seems to be getting in from any of the drains in your home, it may be evidence that plumbing maintenance is required. A properly operating drain shouldn’t release smells into the air. Check to make sure there are strains placed in all your drains to stop hair and other remains from spoiling in the pipes and resulting in a clog. After you’ve treated with a common drain cleaner, pour a gallon of water through drains that are not used frequently. This will fill the trap and help to prevent odors from getting in and smelling up your home.

Your water heater takes great care of you so ensure you’re returning the love. Keep in mind that newer water heaters have a higher efficiency, so if yours is over 15 years old, it could be time to invest in a new one in order to ensure you don’t have that unpredicted burst of cold water for multiple days. Regardless if you plan on replacing your water heater, there are a couple things you can do to help keep it working properly.

Check the temperature setting on the water heater and make sure it’s not higher than 120°F. This will help reduce your energy usage (and help decrease your bills) while also preventing scalding. As a safety precaution, you will want to remove any items from around the water heater. Your 12 month Plumbing PLUS Maintenance program includes a water heater maintenance; and it could actually help your water heater operate more efficiently and avoid plumbing problems moving forward.

These are just a few ways of how you can help get your plumbing ready for spring, but if you are not comfortable performing any of these tasks, you are welcome to call Coastal Service Experts and we can come out and complete your annual plumbing maintenance and rectify (or help prevent) any plumbing problems.