Playing outside is all fun during the summer, but when you dirty more clothes, you will use your washer more, just like all your other plumbing systems.
You’ll want to have a relaxing summer, but your plumbing may be taking on the extra work. Here are some tips to help keep your plumbing in tip-top shape this summer.
Problematic Pipes
Your pipes are the basic structure of your plumbing and connect it all together. If you have a cracked, clogged, or damaged pipe, it can affect your entire plumbing system.
Your sewer line is one pipe that can cause major issues, including foul smells during the hottest days of the summer.
Be wary of any issues that may include your pipes and call a plumber to help fix any issues before they get too out of hand.
Leak Detection
The sound of water dripping from a leaky faucet or pipe can not only be annoying but can cause bigger issues if not caught in time.
Be sure to keep an eye out on all your fixtures this summer. Check faucets, showerheads, toilets, your washer, dishwasher, and other fixtures for leaks.
They not only wastewater, but they could have you swimming in a pool in your own house if not detected.
Hidden leaks, such as slab leaks, can be hard to detect, but if you notice any of these signs, you may have a leak:
- Water bill increase
- Increased and extensive mold
- Cracks in walls or surfaces
- Wet spots around the house
- Sound of dripping water
- Discolored floors or walls
If you have searched and cannot find a leak, consider calling a leak detection specialist to help find the culprit.
Kitchen Plumbing
The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the home, especially when you have more people to cook or prepare food for during summer parties.
Dishwasher
While paper plates and plastic cups seem to be common for summer parties, dishes can still pile up during the summer.
When you hand wash the dishes you use about 3-5 times more water than your washing machine. This means, more water running in your pipes, a higher water bill, and more time spent at the sink.
Try using the dishwasher instead this summer to help your plumbing system and to save water and money.
Garbage Disposal and Drains
Summertime foods and barbecues can be tasty, but they can cause big plumbing problems when disposed of the wrong way.
Be sure to properly take care of your drains and disposal. This means knowing what can go down them.
After a barbecue or summer cookout party, you will have more trash than normal, and when rinsing off plates, some food waste may go down the drain.
Here are some foods to avoid putting these foods down your drain and disposal:
- Grease
- Corn Husks
- Potato Peels
- Bones from chicken and ribs
- Coffee Grinds
- Pasta
- Egg Shells
- Rice
If you are continuously having disposal or drain issues, call a plumber to help diagnose if there is a blogger issue.
Clogs
Your plumbing system is getting more use during the summer with kids home, and guests. This includes one of the most used spaces in the house, the bathrooms.
Your toilet can easily become clogged if a non-flushable item is flushed.
When a blockage is causing a clog, it can cause a major headache for everyone in the household.
To clear a clog, you can first try plunging it. You may have to repeat this multiple times, but remember DIY plumbing fixes may not solve the problem long term.
Call A Professional
Whether it’s a leak, cracked pipe, or clogged drain, a small plumbing problem can turn into a larger one if ignored.
You shouldn’t have to worry about your plumbing, instead, you should be having fun in the summer sun.
At the first sight of a plumbing problem, call a professional to help ease your headache.
