You may already be aware that your heating and air conditioning equipment needs yearly HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but were you aware that you also need to call an expert for annual plumbing maintenance? Sunbeam Service Experts offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for Buffalo homeowners to help them find issues before they turn into big problems. While you should definitely call immediately for plumbing problems and plan your plumbing maintenance every year, here are a couple ways to get your home in ideal plumbing shape for spring.
- Verify any plumbing leaks
Check both 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, installing new fixtures or repairing the leak could help boost the faucet’s function and may even save you money on your water bill.
Once you’ve checked the faucets, scan any exposed pipes for indications of leaks. You can typically find visible pipes in basements and below 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 seriously overdue attention
Examine your toilet for any fractures or leaks in both the bowl and tank. If it appears to be in good working order, go ahead and put about six drops of food dye into the tank water. Wait 30 minutes and then look at the bowl. If the water in the bowl is not colored with the dye, you’re in the clear. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you might have a leak and will want 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 might be an indication that plumbing maintenance is necessary. A properly operating drain shouldn’t release a stench into the air. Confirm there are strains installed in all your drains to avoid hair and other debris from spoiling in the pipes and causing them to clog. After you’ve treated with a common drain cleaner, pour a gallon of water through drains that are not used regularly. This will fill the trap and help to prevent odors from coming in and smelling up your home.
Your water heater takes excellent care of you so ensure you’re returning the love. Don’t forget that newer water heaters are going to be more energy efficient, so if yours is more than 15 years old, it is probably about time to purchase a new one in order to ensure you don’t have that unpredicted burst of cold water for several days. Regardless if you plan on replacing your water heater, there are a couple things you can do to help keep it working properly.
Verify that the temperature is set no higher than 120°F. This will help lower your energy usage (and help lower your bills) while also evading scalding. For the purpose of safety, you will want to remove anything from around the water heater. Your annual Plumbing PLUS Maintenance program includes a water heater maintenance; and it may actually help your water heater perform more efficiently and avoid plumbing problems moving forward.
These are just a few ways of how to help get your plumbing ready for the season, but if you are not confident completing any of these tasks, please call Sunbeam Service Experts and we can come out and complete your yearly plumbing maintenance and repair (or help stop) any plumbing problems.