The Lazy, fun days of summer are gone, and with the arrival of fall comes the urgency to prepare for the cold season. With your home’s plumbing system taking up 15% of your total home value, it’s a worthwhile investment to get your hands dirty.
Having properly functioning systems during winter increases your home’s energy savings, cuts down repair costs, and adds convenience to modern living. If you’re confused about what to do during this season, it’s time to find out about this year’s fall checklist.
Indoors
Drains play an important role in effective indoor fall plumbing maintenance. Check all the drains to ensure that they are working properly. Look out for watermarks or puddles as this could indicate signs of leaks. If you have drains that are not used as much, pour lots of water to fill the trap and prevent odors.
Your water heater works harder to keep your water hot during the winter. You can help it work more efficiently by keeping it at a setting of 120 degrees for maximum performance. Flush the water heater to get rid of any trapped sediment. Dirt reduces efficiency, causes corrosion, and could shorten your heater’s life span.
Also, check areas near water supplies such as bathroom and kitchen cabinets for signs of draft. Have all these areas properly covered. Do not forget to allow water to run from each valve in your home at regular intervals in winter as this prevents freezing.
Outdoors
As temperatures begin to drop, leaves begin to fall, increasing the risk of clogged drains and gutters. This is a perfect time to perform some outdoor plumbing maintenance.
Make sure that all the outside faucets are turned off. This prevents frozen pipes and sometimes bursting. Drain your hoses, roll them up and store them indoors. Have all outdoor spigots covered using a Styrofoam insulation cover, In areas such as crawl spaces and the garage, make sure that all pipes are insulated using a heat tape.
Plan for Professional Help
Being a homeowner doesn’t necessarily mean that you can handle everything. Often, you’re better off leaving dangerous or complicated tasks to Louisville, KY experts.
- Chimney Cleaning
Chimney cleaning should be on top of your list if you love having your fireplace functional during the cold weather. A professional can check for any signs of cracks or distress. Hire a chimney sweeper who has access to methods and tools that are beyond the average homeowner.
- Schedule a Tune-up
Tune-ups are meant to ensure that all your heating systems are functioning as expected. Talk to a professional to have your furnace and heater checked up. In case of any damage, a heating expert can make the necessary repairs or recommend a new purchase.
- Underground Plumbing
Professional plumbers can help you service underground plumbing which may be difficult to do on your own. What’s more, they can inspect pipes using latest video technology.
- Drain Cleaning
Expert plumbers offer Hydro Scrub drain cleaning, a service that uses volume and water pressure to keep your plumbing system clean. Also, it could restore your old system to a new condition.
Fall doesn’t have to be dull and boring. By including these tasks to your maintenance list, you’ll be able to save energy and reduce the time that you would spend on repairs
