Summer Plumbing Tips

The Kids Are out of School and Those Carefree Days of Summer Are Upon Us!

This is always a great time of the year to get outside, enjoy the warm weather, and RELAX!

Since the summer months tend to be dryer, it is also a great time to take a little bit of time to perform some preventative maintenance around your house to prevent major plumbing problems. At Covenant Plumbing we want to help you keep your home in perfect shape whatever the weather so you can save energy, save money and have time to have some fun in the sun.

Here are a few tips to get your whole system healthy, and in the process, it might save you a little dough.

Washing Machines

Washing Machine Hoses: You might find yourself doing more laundry than normal during the summer months. Inspect your washing machine hoses for bulges, leaks or cracks and always remove drier lint after every load.  Make sure your machine far enough away from the wall to prevent the hose from kinking. A kinked hose can ultimately lead to cracks and leaks in the hose. And as tempting, as it may be, never leave your home while the washer is running because if there is a leak in the hose you could come home to a flooded water-damaged mess. As an extra precaution replace your washing machine hose every three years to avoid a plumbing emergency.

Garbage Disposals

Summer is a tasty time to take advantage of stone fruits and corn-on-the-cob, but remember to be careful not to put those items in the garbage disposal. Standard garbage disposals usually cannot handle corn husks, corn cobs, bones, fruit pits and other stringy trash like banana peels.  Also, avoid clogging your pipes with fats and oils as they can collect in your pipes and prevent the sink from draining properly.  Run cold water at full pressure for 15 seconds before and after you put anything down the garbage disposal to ensure that you have flushed out the disposal and the drain. Never put instant stuffing, potato mixes or similar “just-add-water” foods down the drain—they’ll create an instant clog when you add water.

Take It Easy on the Toilets

With kids home more often than usual, the toilets are being used during the day when the kids would normally be at school. You should teach your kids to use a modest amount of toilet paper when using the restroom to avoid a clog in the toilet(s). Make sure that they know what to not flush down the toilet, including paper towels and feminine hygiene products.

Verify Your Hot Water Heater Works Well

Because it’s not used as much, summer is actually a good time to check your hot water heater.  Summer is a good time to drain and inspect the heater, check the anode rod and heating elements, and take a look at the gas burner assembly so it can be replaced, if necessary.  Preventative maintenance can increase the life of your water heater.

Make Sure That the Water Is Turned off If It Is Not Being Used

During the summer kids love to use the faucets and hoses outside to help them cool off. Water balloons, blow-up pools, putting the sprinkler under the trampoline, and more calls for a good time with siblings and friends. Make sure that once the kids are done having their fun to check that the water has been turned off to help you avoid high water bills and to keep you from wasting water.

Covenant Plumbing is here to help you with all your summer plumbing needs. All it takes is a simple phone call for you to have peace of mind for the entire summer, so give us a call today!

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