Hello, and welcome back to the Mojica Plumbing and Drain Cleaning blog! Spring has sprung here in Circleville, which means many of you will be tackling your spring cleaning tasks this month. In part one of this blog series, we began looking at some useful tips for cleaning your kitchen and bathroom plumbing. As you clean these spaces, it is also important to check that the plumbing features and components in these and other areas throughout your home are functioning properly. Plumbing problems can lead to thousands of dollars worth of repairs if left unaddressed and spring cleaning time provides the perfect opportunity to check for plumbing issues. Today, let’s look at six plumbing problems to check for as you spring clean your home in the coming weeks. Remember, if you need a bathroom or kitchen plumbing repair, pipe installation, drain cleaning, or plumbing assistance with a home remodel, you can count on Mojica plumbers in Circleville for all of your plumbing needs. Please continue reading below to learn our tips for spring cleaning your plumbing!
Inspect Your Sump Pump
Communities in and around Austin, including Circleville, are susceptible to flooding due to rain and extreme weather conditions. The springtime rainy season here lasts from March through May, so you can expect to receive a lot of rain in the next few months. Therefore, you will want to ensure that your home is prepared for flooding, should it occur. One of the home’s best defenses against flooding is the sump pump, usually located in the basement or crawlspace of homes. In a nutshell, your sump pump safeguards your home from rising waters as a result of rain or groundwater increasing above the water table level. Sump pumps are designed to transport water away from a house to an area where the water is no longer a threat to the property.
While these durable water pumping mechanisms are built to function under intense circumstances, sump pumps generally last anywhere from five to fifteen years. As you clean your home this spring, inspect and test your sump pump to make sure it’s working as it should. This is especially important for those residents who have recently moved into a home and inherited a sump pump. Because these pumps can save your home and property from excessive water damage, it is of the utmost importance that you check and maintain this essential plumbing feature. You can always call on our Mojica plumbers in Circleville to inspect and service your sump pump to ensure it’s working properly.
Check for Visible & Hidden Leaks
Leaks of any kind can cause significant damage to your home and there are many reasons that a leak may spring with little-to-no warning. Whether the pipes in your home are outdated and rusty, have been damaged, or have a faulty component, your water heater is cracked, or you have a leaky appliance, these scenarios can all cause plumbing leaks which you will want to have repaired by our skilled plumbers right away.
While many leaks are visible, others can remain hidden behind the walls or under the floors of your home. We talked about hidden leaks and how to spot them in a recent blog series, which you can access by following these links to parts one and two. Hidden leaks are particularly terrifying because they are not as apparent as other leaks, and can slowly damage your home and property over time. What’s more, hidden leaks are often the culprit for black mold growth in homes which affects the health of people and pets. As you clean your home this spring, pay careful attention to water drips, puddles of standing water, increases condensation, damp surfaces, and stains that appear on walls and ceilings. These are all signs of visible and unseen leaks that you will want our plumbers to repair immediately.
Inspect & Clean Your Outdoor Plumbing
As you clean and prepare your yard for spending more time outdoors this spring and summer, don’t forget to check your outdoor plumbing features. We know, we know — this seems like the most obvious plumbing system to check during spring, but you’d be amazed by how many people avoid inspecting and cleaning these plumbing features. Why are these features so important, you ask? They are meant to keep the water away from your home and out of the interior of your home. If they are broken, clogged, or have fallen into disrepair, how are they supposed to do their job properly? Here are some simple steps to follow as you check and clean your outdoor plumbing systems this spring:
- Clear your gutters and downspouts of debris that can become clogged and cause backups.
- Clear the vent pipes on your roof of any debris, and make sure these features are protected from pests.
- Inspect and clear yard drains.
- Check your yard for soggy patches of earth or unlevel surfaces which could be signs of a slab leak or leaks from pipes underneath neighborhood streets.
- Run water through your garden hoses to make sure they are free of clogs and leaks.
- Have your sprinkler system serviced by a local landscaping professional.
- Inspect your trees for damaged or loose branches that could damage or clog your eavestrough or yard drains.
- Check around your foundation for signs of standing water or damage to the foundation.
Check All Outdoor Faucets
As you inspect and clean the plumbing systems around your yard and the exterior of your home, be sure to check the outdoor faucets. Inspect the faucet bibs for leaks, rust, and other damage that could make them susceptible to leaks. These are very easy to replace and you can pick up replacement faucets and faucet bibs at any local hardware retailer. Of course, you can always call Mojica if you need assistance.
Check the Water Supply Lines to Appliances
Go through each room in your home to carefully inspect the water supply lines to your dishwasher, washing machine, toilets, faucets, and any other appliances or fixtures that use water. Check that the valves are working properly and that the lines are free of any tears, bulges, and leaks. If you notice even the smallest amount of water where it shouldn’t be, replace the water supply line before the problem gets worse. Addressing these kinds of plumbing issues now can save you in costly expenses down the road.
Have Your Water Heater Serviced
The water heater is one of the most frequently-used appliances in the home. Because you rely so much on this essential appliance for many of your daily routines, it is of the utmost importance to stay up-to-date on regular water heater maintenance. As you clean your home this spring, take the time to inspect your water heater. Give it a good look-over to check for cracks, signs of corrosion, sediment buildup, leaks, and faulty valves. Check the intake screen which is located at the bottom of the water heater. This could help keep your monthly utility bill low. You’ll also want to call Mojica Plumbing so that one of our licensed plumbers can inspect your water heater for efficiency, and recommend any necessary repairs such as having it flushed. If your water heater is outdated, it is likely costing you a great deal each month. Our expert plumbers can recommend eco-friendly, cost-effective water heaters, and once you decide on the one you like, we can even install it for you!
Schedule a Springtime Plumbing Inspection
These are some of the best ways you can spring clean your plumbing to ensure all your plumbing features are functioning properly. As your trusted plumbers, we care about you and your property and are committed to providing you with the best, most effective plumbing solutions for your plumbing problems. Whether you need a pipe inspection, repair, or installation, or want to have your sump pump or water heater serviced or replaced, our plumbers in Circleville can help! Call the Mojica Plumbing and Drain Cleaning today and spring into spring with a healthy plumbing system in your home!
