Expert Guide to Spring Plumbing Maintenance

You may already know that your heating and AC equipment needs annual HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but did you know that you also need to call an expert for annual plumbing maintenance? Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for Canada homeowners to help them discover issues before they become big problems. While you should always call for plumbing problems and schedule your plumbing maintenance annually, here are a few ways to get your home in great plumbing shape for spring. 

• Check for plumbing leaks 

Check both your faucets and toilets for any leaks. When you turn off your faucets check around the connections for water dripping out; if there is, replacing the fixtures or repairing the leak could help improve the faucet’s function and may even save you money on your water bill. 

In addition to faucets, check any accessible pipes for signs of leaks. You can usually access visible pipes in the basement and under 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 long overdue TLC 

Check your toilet for any cracks or leaks in both the tank and the bowl. If everything looks like it’s in good shape, go ahead and add about six drops of food coloring into the tank. Wait 30 minutes and then check the bowl. If the bowl is clear, you’re in the clear. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you may have a leak and should call a plumbing expert. 

•       Don’t forget your water heater maintenance 

If something foul seems to be coming from any of the drains in your home, it could be a sign that plumbing maintenance is required. A properly running drain shouldn’t release odors into the air. Check to make sure there are strains installed in all your drains to avoid hair and other waste from spoiling in the pipes and clogging them up. Once you’ve treated them with a common drain cleaner, pour a gallon of water into drains that are not used often. This will fill the trap and help to avoid odors from getting in and smelling up your home. 

Your water heater takes good care of you so make sure you’re returning the favor. Keep in mind that newer water heaters are going to be more energy efficient, so if yours is more than 15 years old, it may be about time to invest in a new one in order to ensure you don’t have that unexpected burst of cold water for a week. Whether or not you plan on replacing your water heater, there are a few things you can do to help keep it working properly. 

Check the temperature setting on the water heater and make sure it’s not higher than 120°F. This will help lower your energy consumption (and help lower your bills) while also preventing scalding. For safety sake, you will want to remove any objects from around the water heater. Your annual Plumbing PLUS Maintenance plan includes a water heater maintenance; and it may actually help your water heater be more efficient and avoid plumbing problems in the future. 

These are just a few ways of how you can help get your plumbing springtime-ready, but if you are not comfortable performing any of these tasks, always feel free to call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing and we can come out and complete your annual plumbing maintenance and repair (or help avoid) any plumbing problems.