Plumbing disasters may occur at any time of the year or despite weather conditions. But most assuredly, the wintertime is the most common time of year for plumbing issues to take place. But hold on. It’s still autumn. But being aware of how your residential plumbing can be negatively affected during Ohio’s harsh winter can help you to know how to plan and properly prepare your plumbing system in the fall. Doing this will equip your plumbing work appropriately to face the winter head-on so that it can handle whatever Mother Nature throws this way. Follow the items listed below by your Middletown Plumbing & Drain experts so you can start knocking out things on your fall plumbing maintenance checklist.
1. DID YOU CHECK AROUND YOUR HOME FOR LEAKS OR DRIPS?
Let’s start with the most common plumbing occurrence – your leaks and drips. Take into consideration all your faucets, sinks, showers, tubs, and toilets. If any faucets or plumbing fixtures have a leak or drip water, you will want to get this fixed as soon as possible. So, inspect your faucets and fixtures, toilets, and underneath your sinks thoroughly to confirm there are no issues. Though it may seem like a minor issue now, when problems like this persist, they can manifest into larger, more significant problems down the road. Therefore, it’s best to seal a leak or tighten any dripping faucets instead of postponing this chore until you risk the issue of frozen winter during the winter – frozen water makes it that much harder for a plumber to assess.
2. DO YOUR PIPES NEED TO BE INSULATED?
If you have exposed pipes within your home, it may be a good idea to consider wrapping them in pipe insulation. Fortunately, pipe insulation kits are typically sold at any home improvement store. We suggest doing this because of the frigid winters in Ohio. Exposed pipes in unheated spaces like basements, garages, or crawlspaces are susceptible to freezing and bursting. This, of course, is not ideal. So, we think it’s worth the small investments and a little bit of your time to tackle this fall plumbing project and decrease the chances of a true plumbing catastrophe.
3. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOUR GUTTERS WERE LAST CLEANED?
When gutters are full of yucky muck and sludge, they are quite unpleasant. And although the foliage around this time of the year is beautiful to behold, fallen foliage is the ultimate culprit behind your gutter woes. In the fall season, fall leaves and other outdoor debris frequently fall right into your gutters and drains, creating a dam-like obstruction that restricts rainfall and melted snow from draining appropriately. Because of this, we highly recommend that your gutters get cleaned out at least once during the fall. Whether you want to take on this fall project yourself or hire a professional to get the job done is totally up to you. But whatever you decide to do, try to do it before the holiday season. The last thing you want is overflowing gutters to downpour straight onto your loved ones when they visit you. In addition, gutter sludge can emit a nasty, unpleasant smell. “Pee-Yoo!”
4. DID YOU REMEMBER TO CHECK ALL OUTDOOR FIXTURES & PUT UP THE GARDEN HOSE?
Don’t leave that garden hose out! Fall is an often-loved time of the year by many homeowners because it means less to no yard work! Grass and plant vegetation is likely not to grow excessively during the fall. In fact, you may already have put up your lawn mower and garden tools for the season. But did you put up the garden hose as well? If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to do this as soon as you are able to. Leaving out a garden hose in the winter can freeze any remaining water within the hose and cause it to burst, leading to more issues with your home’s plumbing if it is still attracted to the fixture. To prevent this, disconnect your garden hose, drain any water from it, and put it up for the season. Additionally, don’t forget to ensure the faucet/fixture is turned off as well as any other fixtures that may be located inside.
5. DID YOU BOOK YOUR PROFESSIONAL PLUMBING INSPECTION?
You know how we mentioned preventative maintenance is crucial? It is! And we cannot stress the importance of preventive maintenance enough. Your home’s plumbing system should be checked and inspected once a year to confirm everything is running smoothly and no underlying plumbing issues can evolve into undesirable plumbing situations later. Plus, a licensed plumber can inspect your water heater and sump pump if necessary! So, if you haven’t yet had a yearly inspection, be sure to have it done before winter sets in!
No one ever wants to deal with a plumbing issue. Even though it’s our forte at Middletown Plumbing & Drain to handle any plumbing emergencies, we sincerely hope no unfortunate events arise for you. This is why preventative maintenance is so essential! So, be sure to act now while the weather is ideal. The last thing you want to do is delay your fall checklist until the last minute. Got more questions? We’ve got answers! Call Middletown Plumbing & Drain today at (937) 298-9979, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!