As a homeowner, expectations are on you to take care of your house; otherwise, the potential damages can be costly. Plumbing is one of the tasks you should take care of regularly if you want to avoid costly problems. Plumping problems can be very inconvenient and expensive, so trying to prevent them in the first place is your best strategy. Even if learning plumbing might seem daunting at first, it’s an essential part of home maintenance that every homeowner should take into account. Checking home plumbing for Spring should be a thought-out process, and it’s best to do it before your big spring cleanup. That’s why we at Chicago Plumbing Experts would like to share our expert knowledge on home plumbing so Spring cleanup can be a much easier experience.
Checking everything before Spring clean up is a must
Homeowners should always be aware of the state of their house; negligence can be a costly mistake. To avoid a major headache in terms of large repair bills, you should know how to ensure everything in your house runs smoothly. This is especially true for your home plumbing, so you should check everything. One of the most important things to check are:
- Test your sump pump-you need to avoid your basement flooding, and testing your sump pump is crucial for it,
- Check your basement-you will need to thoroughly check the basement of your house for any leaks from damaged pipes,
- Everything needs to be correctly sealed-this includes your floor, walls, windows, and doors,
- Check your water valves-you want them to be functional during home plumbing for Spring
The basement is a crucial place to check when preparing home plumbing for Spring
New homeowners should be aware of the things we listed before moving to their new house, as it’s a good indicator of the house’s state. According to experts, inspecting plumbing is a must-do and needs to be among the things you should check first before any home acquisition. So, check the home plumbing if you want to be smart about your move.
You should check sprinklers and outdoor faucets
Spring is more than just a problem for plumbing because of the cleanup. Spring is the time of the year when your garden comes back to life. If you want the perfect front yard for this spring season, check your sprinklers and outdoor faucets for any malfunctions, which can quickly happen. This is because during winter, many outside pipes tend to freeze, and during unfreezing, many problems can arise, and pipes can even break completely. To test this, run the whole system and check each sprinkler head and faucet individually for water leaks. By testing it, you can react on time for any malfunction and get to repair it.
One more area that would need checking is a house bib, as it’s a common area to malfunction. If you forgot to unhook your garden hose over winter, this part of the plumbing could have sprung a leak, so you should check that out too.
When preparing for plumbing, don’t forget pipes that are outside
A water softener is going to solve a lot of your problems
If your pipes are in good condition, you would want them to stay that way for a long time. However, minerals in the water that flow through the pipes can be a significant problem in the long run. Hard water has many dissolved minerals like magnesium and calcium, which can build up in your pipes and plug them over time. That’s why a water softener will keep your pipes unplugged by balancing hard minerals in water that runs through them and improve your home plumbing for Spring cleanup.
You should consider one if you come from places known to have hard water, which is 85% of our country. However, if you are coming from Utah, New Mexico, or the western side of Texas, a water softener is a must-have due to its incredibly mineral-dense water that is a plumbing hazard. Installing a salt-based softener has other benefits as well, like reducing hard water stains, improving your skin and hair, reducing the amount of soap needed to clean dishes and clothes, etc.
Preparing home plumbing is a constant search for leaks.
To properly prepare your home plumbing for the spring season, you should check the areas that leak the most. A toilet is one of the most important places to check for leaks, as it can cause costly problems like damaged floors and high water bills. One helpful tip is to use food coloring to spot leaks around your toilet. Simply put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet, and leaking water will be easy to spot.
Another area you should check when preparing your home plumbing is the kitchen. Again, you should check if any faucet is dripping, and if they do, fix it. A main drain line should be cleaned appropriately of food blockage, and the sink should be checked for damages. A garbage disposal can also be troublesome, so troubleshoot for any problems. Any of these issues can cause problems for your home plumbing for spring cleanup, so it would be smart to check it all out.
Habits that can make home plumbing a lot easier
Home plumbing problems often occur because of our bad habits, and a few changes here can make a big difference. First, you should never pour cooking oils and grease into your drain; they can stay there and solidify, causing clogging. One beneficial thing for your drain is to run hot water after washing dishes, as it helps remove grease. Using drain covers in your shower and kitchen sink prevents unwanted objects from entering pipes. Finally, we recommend using a body wash rather than a soup bar, as it is much healthier for your home’s plumbing. Bar soap produces too much soap scum that coats the walls of your pipes, which can result in clogs.
A kitchen is a place where leaks can cause a lot of trouble
Making sure that your home plumbing for Spring is proper is an important job that homeowners should pay attention to. During Spring clean up, your home plumbing will be under much stress from the increased water use, and any imperfections could lead to trouble. But don’t worry, if you put effort into it and follow our advice, it’s nothing that you can’t overcome.