Summer Plumbing Tips

Summer is the most common season for home purchases, so it should come as no surprise to you that most service calls are made during the this season. New home owners are always shocked to find out they have serious plumbing issues that have to be taken care of. You can help to prevent this by taking care of your home plumbing and inspecting it in order to keep any possible problems from occurring. Keep these tips in mind if you own a home or are thinking of purchasing a home.

First, take a look at your bathroom. Check around the base of the toilet for any signs of leaks. This can involve stains or damages to the vinyl. In order to check a soft floor, stand around the toilet and step down, checking for spongy, rotted, or otherwise weakened wood. Flush the toilet and check to see how quickly or slowly it flushes. Finally, check for any loose tiles by pressing on the walls that surround the bathtub. Soft walls may mean a leak.

Check the water supply pipes by turning on the water in your bathtub and kitchen sink. If the water is sluggish when you do this, it could mean mineral deposits are clogging your pipes and you should probably replace them. Check the piping in your basement, if applicable, for any signs of leaking. Finally, make sure the main line cleanout is accessible. Check your water heater as well. Find the date it was made by checking out the first 4 digits of the serial number. If it’s older than 15 years, it’s about time to be replaced. If the tank is rusty, it’s a sure sign that you will be having problems with it in the near future.

Some miscellaneous tips that regard any part of the home involve checking your dishwasher and garbage disposal for any leaks. Make sure the connections are tight. Check out the inside of all the cabinets with a flashlight if necessary. Do you see any leaks or signs of water damage? The cabinets may be warped or stained. Make sure the traps are not leaking. Check washing machine hoses for any breaks or tears. You can also turn the valves on and off to see if there are any leaks. Check for standing water on the yard as well; it may be coming from a damaged sewer line or any other broken pipes.

Keep these plumbing tips on your mind because the summer time can be an awful time to have plumbing issues. Should anything occur, you could be without your shower or toilet facilities which could create one unhappy household, especially if you have company down when it happens. Taking preemptive action against plumbing problems will also save you money in the long run. Whether you know a bit about plumbing and can fix these problems yourself before they get complicated, or if you have to call a plumber, it will still be less expensive to fix small problems before they turn into large ones.