Though it may not feel like it quite yet, spring is coming. Make sure that your plumbing is prepped and ready for big environmental changes with inspection and preventative maintenance. Some problems may have formed during the winter that a homeowner may not notice until warmer weather arrives.
Check your sump pump.
If you have a basement or crawl space in your home, you hopefully have one of these handy devices, and more importantly, in working order. With spring comes significant rain, so your home could be in trouble if your sump pump isn’t properly draining flood water or accumulated groundwater. You can test your pump by filling the basin to the top with water. If it doesn’t immediately start, it may need repairs.
Check on your pipes, both inside and outside, to detect any possible leaks.
Water freezing and expanding in your pipes may have caused cracks. Look over your pipes, while running both hot and cold water through them to see if there are any damp or moldy areas where water might be seeping through. Pipes that have been exposed to the cold and not winterized are especially susceptible to cracking. Pay attention to water pressure. It may be low at first, but if it stays low after several minutes, it may indicate a problem. Also, be sure to check your walls for discoloration or wet spots, which are definite indicators of some sort of leak. Some leaks may be hard to find if they are coming from hard-to-reach pipework. Therefore, it might be prudent to think about calling a professional plumber in Springfield Missouri to make sure all your bases—or in this case, pipes—are covered.
Keep your gutters clean of trash and debris.
Gutters may not technically be part of your plumbing, but they do keep excess rainwater going where it is supposed to (i.e. not inside or around your home). If you don’t take the time to keep your gutters cleaned out, water can potentially pool around your home and risk damage or even collapse if left untreated.
A lot of plumbing problems can occur over the winter season, and with warmer weather coming soon, now is the perfect time for preventative maintenance or repairs from your plumbing contractor in Springfield Missouri. As always, we here at United Plumbing are here to help when you need us, no matter the weather.