Spring Cleaning Your Plumbing
How to Prevent Plumbing Disasters
Introduction
Happy Spring! With the spring cleaning season upon us, we would like to remind you not to forget about the plumbing that needs some routine cleaning/maintenance as well. Incorporating plumbing into your annual spring cleaning will help your plumbing fixtures to perform better, more efficiently, and last longer.
Here are some tips to help maintain your plumbing and avoid any plumbing disasters down the road:
Bathroom:
Check toilets for hidden leaks. Hidden leaks = flushing money down the drain. You can check for this by adding food coloring to the toilet tank. The food color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes if there is a leak.
Visually inspect the toilet tank and toilet bowl for cracks and/or leaks.
Make sure your toilet flushes properly. If the handle has to be held down to fully flush or jiggled to stop the water from running, you may need to replace some old parts. This could help lower your water bill.
Ensure that shower drains have a drain protector hair catcher/strainer to prevent hair, soap, and debris from clogging the drain line.
Clean mineral deposits from your shower head by soaking it in vinegar. You can either unscrew the showerhead or fill a plastic baggie with vinegar and hold it in place with a rubber band. After soaking for a few hours, scrub it with an old toothbrush to remove the mineral deposits.
Water Heater:
Check that the water heater temperature is set no higher than 120 °F to prevent scalding and save energy.
Drain and flush your water heater tank every 6-12 months to remove any sediment. By doing this, your water heater tank will be more efficient and last longer. Check your water heater manufacturer’s website for specific instructions on how to do this, or give us a call and we can help you out!
Consider replacing a water heater tank that is more than 15 years old. Newer water heater models are more energy-efficient and upgrading to a tankless water heater is even more energy-efficient, which will save money in the long run.
Outside:
Make sure yard drains, gutters, and downspouts are cleaned out, open, and free of debris.
Check for bird nests in plumbing vent pipes.
The first time you use your outdoor faucet, make sure the water is flowing freely. If it is dripping or if there is a leak inside your home, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs to be replaced.
Need expert help for any issues discovered during your spring cleaning?! Your neighborhood plumber, Pride Plumbing of Rochester, can help. Serving Rochester, NY, and the surrounding communities, Pride Plumbing offers a wide array of services, including drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, plumbing home inspection, and resolving bathroom plumbing issues. The licensed master plumbers take pride in providing high-quality customer service. Call Pride Plumbing at (585) 271-7150 or click here to schedule an appointment online.
