Spring Plumbing Tips

Spring has sprung, which means it’s time to do some “Spring Cleaning” for your home’s pipe and drainage systems. Here are 15 quick and simple Spring Plumbing Tips to protect your home against plumbing problems:

• Check faucets for drips or leaks. Make repairs to save water.
• Check toilets for hidden leaks. Add six drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes
• Ensure that all drains have strainers to prevent hair, soap, and debris from clogging the drain lines.
• Inspect toilet tank and bowl for cracks or leaks.
• Exercise water supply valves under sinks and toilets to prevent them from sticking.
• Make sure toilets flush properly. If the handle must be held down for a thorough flush or jiggled to stop the water from running you may need to replace worn tank parts. They’re inexpensive and you’ll notice a lower water bill.
• Check the temperature setting on the water heater. It should be set no higher than 120°F to prevent scalding and reduce energy use.
• Carefully drain several gallons from the water heater tank to flush out corrosion causing sediment, which reduces heating efficiency and shortens the life of the heater. A great Spring Plumbing Tip.
• Consider replacing a water heater more than 15 years old. (The first four numbers of the serial number represent the month and year it was made.) Newer water heaters are more energy efficient
• Pour a gallon of water into infrequently used drains (including floor drains) to fill the trap and prevent odors from entering the house. Slow floor drains should be snaked to ensure they will carry away water quickly in the event of a flood.
• Check exposed pipes under sinks and in the basement for signs of leaks.
• If your home has a sump pump, make sure it operates properly by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit. The pump should quickly turn on, discharge the water then shut off without any problems.
• Install a backflow valve in the floor drain if you live in an area where sewers sometimes back up into homes. This device will prevent future backups
• Make sure yard drains, gutters and downspouts are cleaned out, open, and free of debris.
• Inspect your property whether its sticks, leaves, or asteroids, pretty much any type of debris can lead to blockages in your drain system—especially your sump pump discharge line. Making sure your yard & gutters are clear is a simple way to minimize the chance of a clog and keep the good times flowing!
• Check faucets and hose bibs to make sure water flows freely. If an outdoor faucet drips or if there is leakage inside your home the first time the hose is turned on, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs to be replaced.

This list of Spring Pluming Tips is just a handful of the useful services and solutions that McCoy’s Heating, Air, & Plumbing can provide your home this spring. If you are interested in the full rundown of our plumbing service you can check them out here or you can schedule a service maintenance of your plumbing and drain systems by calling 731-668-7492 or sign up for a plumbing maintenance on our web page or app (McCoys HVAC).