It’s almost spring—and that means it’s time to think about spring cleaning. But what does spring cleaning mean to you? It can cover many jobs, such as going through old paperwork to organizing a spice rack. But it also means arranging for important maintenance services for parts of your house, places that suffer the most during a harsh winter season.
Your household plumbing is one system that undergoes a great deal of stress during the winter. Without some simple checks on the pipes, faucets, and appliances of your plumbing system, you might head into spring with some major issues. Below we’ve put together some steps we recommend you take before spring weather arrives that will help locate places where you’ll need the assistance of professional plumbers.
A Short Plumbing Checklist for Fall
- Test the sump pump: Not all homes have sump pumps in Montgomery County—but most should. During spring we’re at a high risk of flooding from snowmelt and rain, and the water damage in basements and crawlspaces of homes can be tremendous. Sump pumps are an excellent defense against this. If your home has a sump pump, test it by pouring water into the water collection pit (i.e. the sump) to see if the pump activates automatically and drains the water. If the pump won’t work or works slowly, call for plumbers to repair it or replace it. And if you don’t have a sump pump, call the plumbers to arrange for one before the spring waters arrive.
- Check on the drains: Never allow a slow drain to remain that way. The build-up of debris over the winter can lead to problems if the drains aren’t cleaned out. Pay particular attention to floor drains, which are important in case of heavy rainfall or minor flooding. Pour water down each of the floor drains to restore their p-traps and prevent sewer smells from entering your house. Call for drain cleaning if any drains aren’t having trouble actually, you know, draining.
- Look over the water heater: This is the part of your plumbing that suffers the most stress over the winter. Since you need the water heater 365 days a year, you don’t want problems left over from winter to threaten the system in spring. Keep a sharp eye out for water pooling around the base of the water heater, indicating leaking that will require professional repairs. If you hear strange rumbling sounds from the tank or notice a drop in the volume of hot water, it’s also wise to arrange for an inspection check right away with water heater professionals.
- Check the outdoor plumbing: Winter weather can cause serious issues with the outdoor plumbing. Look over gutters and storm drains to remove leaves and other debris. See if there’s corrosion setting in and check that downspouts haven’t become pushed out of their normal position.
No matter what plumbing service in Gaithersburg, MD or the surrounding areas you need this spring, you only have to contact our plumbers to schedule the work.
Mallick Plumbing & Heating: The Service Contractor of Choice.