Your home’s plumbing is vitally important for ongoing comfort and sanitation. Each season, there are specific plumbing areas you can focus on that will help you prepare your home for the weather ahead.

Fall Plumbing Maintenance

In the fall, you’ll want to prepare your pipes for winter by making sure this maintenance checklist has been completed:

• Outdoor spigots—Disconnect the water hose from your outdoor spigot. Drain any remaining water and cover the spigot with a Styrofoam insulation cover.
• Water heater—Keep the temperature of the water heater at 120 degrees, flush it out to remove sediment and test the pressure of the water heater.
• Gutter and sump pump—Clean debris from the gutters and get the sump pump and pit cleaned and inspected.

Spring Plumbing Maintenance

In the spring, it’s most important to check all your drains. You’ll want to check each of the following:

• Slow leaks—A water meter reading is the most effective way to check for slow leaks around the home. Check the reading a couple hours after using your water.
• Pipes—Look for leaks in all the pipes, such as watermarks or puddles. A plumber can help with this inspection.
• Infrequently-used drains—For any drains that you don’t use often, pour a gallon of water down the drain. This will fill the trap and will prevent odors from entering the home. If any drains are slow, have them snaked.
• Water-using appliances—The hoses on any appliances that use water, such as the washing machine and dishwasher, should be inspected for cracks, bulges and wear. Replace any that look worn.
• Toilet bowl and tank—Check both the toilet bowl and the tank by putting a few drops of some food coloring in the toilet tank. You have a leak if food coloring appears in the bowl within 30 minutes.

Summer Plumbing Maintenance

In the summer, you’ll want to get your septic system inspected and prepare any sprinkler systems:

• Have your septic system pumped whenever needed.
• Keep track of the stoppages and the times between each one.
• Schedule a snaking of the sewer main if tree roots regularly cause problems.
• Consider removing any trees with problem roots to help avoid future plumbing problems.
• Clean any embedded sprinkler system heads, and test them to make sure they’re working properly.

Plumbers are available to help you with maintenance each season. Getting proper maintenance performed on your plumbing can prevent costly and emergent problems down the line.

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