Ken's Plumbing | Blog

Can you believe spring is less than a month away? We definitely understand how the seasonal change could have crept up on you leaving you feeling a little under-prepared, but just like we helped you with winterizing your home, we're here to help you with the changing of the seasons again as winter turns to spring.

Believe it or not, there are actually many ways to prepare your plumbing for spring, though unfortunately none of them involve turning your toilet into an exotic planter (though if you'd like to try that, we'd LOVE to see pictures)!

In that case, let's get started...

1. Get a jump on your yard work. You may think your yard has nothing to do with your plumbing, but you'd be wrong. Make sure your downspouts face away from your home's foundation and drain in the direction of the street, and be sure that your storm drains are clear so that they can handle large amounts of draining water. If possible, be sure to also clear your yard of any debris that could get washed down and potentially clog a drain and result in a flood.
2. Check your faucets. Well, actually, what you're really checking for here is low water pressure. Run all of your indoor and outdoor faucets on both hot and cold settings. The pressure may take a second to adjust if the faucet hasn't been used in a while because air may have gotten into the lines, but after running the water for a few minutes the air should work its way out and the pressure should return to normal. Low water pressure is a sign of a leak, so if you notice any of your faucets aren't running at full capacity, it may be time to call in the pros.
3. Check exposed pipes. If you never got around to winterizing your pipes, this is particularly important. Inspect your pipes for cracks and call a plumber right away if you find any. If you don't find any cracks, also check for discoloration, or mold or moss growth; these are signs that there is a crack that you might not be able to see.
4. Check your toilet for leaks. This one is easy! To check for a toilet leak, just put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank, wait a few minutes, and see if any of the food coloring has made its way into the toilet bowl. If your toilet water is still clear, you're still in the clear, but if there's food coloring in the toilet bowl, you have a leak and you'll need to have your flapper replaced.
5. Flush your water heater. We've talked about this in detail before, but as a quick reminder, you'll want to flush out your water heater to remove any buildup that's keeping it from running at maximum efficiency.

If you find any problems during your pre-spring plumbing inspection, we'd love to help you get everything back in proper working order! Just give us a call at (864) 242-5511 or schedule service online! You can also sign up for our Diamond Club to be sure your plumbing is getting regular checkups, and that little problems are caught before they turn into big ones.

If you enjoyed this plumbing article, please check out other posts on our blog and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see why the Greenville, SC area calls us "The Picky People's Plumber!"