When the temperature rises, the many benefits of readily-available water become more apparent, whether it’s a matter of a much-needed glassful, reviving wilted plants, or cooling off in the shower after a warm day. You want this precious resource to be available when you need it – and you rely on your plumbing system to do its job.
Summer days are a great time to relax and set aside your cares. Don’t let a happy summer be disturbed by a plumbing emergency. Save yourself the expense that can come from having to fix something on an emergency basis and interrupt enjoying your home and family – or occur while you are on vacation.
Get Ahead of the Game
Taking time to inspect a few key items can do a lot to prevent unexpected events. You may be able to do all these actions on your own, but if you need help the experienced professionals at Ben Franklin Plumbing stand ready to assist.
Outdoors
Whether you have a lawn or a low-water landscape, you probably depend on a sprinkler system to keep it healthy. The next time you use it, look at how it’s operating and see what you can observe. Do you see leaks? Are sprinkler heads missing or malfunctioning? Is there something wrong with the way your system is set up that is causing water to be wasted where it’s not needed?
Along the way, check your outdoor hoses for leaks and check the connections at the faucet, as well as whether water is leaking from the faucet itself. If you need help doing a thorough job, connect with us so we can send a qualified plumber to help you.
In the Bathroom
If you see any signs of trouble in your sewer line, this is the right time to address them. If you have children and they are going to be home for the summer, the bathroom is going to get a lot more use. You may have relatives coming to visit, outdoor cookouts, pool parties or other events that will bring more people to your home.
If your tub is draining more slowly than usual, and if you see water backing up in the tub, call us right away – it isn’t worth taking a risk with overflows.
Here’s another tip. Make sure that a wastebasket is in plain sight in any bathroom that visitors are likely to use. This can help eliminate the temptation for them to put an item the toilet that doesn’t belong there, something that could cause a clog even if your system is functioning right.
The Laundry Room
Between sports uniforms, gardening clothes, towels and other items that are used more in the summer, you are likely to be doing more laundry. Check the hoses on your washing machine for cracks or bulges. Even better, get it inspected by a qualified plumber. You don’t need a flood in the laundry room caused by a broken hose.
Water Pressure
If you’re planning to leave town during the summer, water pressure can be an issue. If no one is flushing toilets and sending water out of the system, pressure may build up. You can buy a pressure gauge, or you can one of our team perform a measurement for you. You may want to install a pressure regulator to keep water pressure balanced and your home safer.
Take Your Shoes Off
Summer should be a time when your focus is on making happy memories. These few steps can go a long way toward ensuring that something as simple as plumbing won’t get in your way.
