27 Apr Spring Cleaning – Don’t Forget Your Plumbing! (Part Two)

This is part two of our spring-cleaning series. Remember your plumbing system needs TLC and maintenance, too. Check out our previous post to learn about maintaining your sump pump, toilet, and faucets.

• Set your water heater temperature to 120°F or lower to prevent burns and save on your energy bill. If your water heater is more than 15 years old, it may be time to upgrade to a newer, more efficient model.
• Drain your water heater of water to flush out sediment. Hard water contains sediment that corrodes your water heater, making it less efficient and shortening its life span.
• Check outside hose bibs and faucets for winter-weather damage.
• Pour one gallon of water into rarely used drains. The water will help flush out bad odors, fill any traps, and reveal problems if it does not drain. Slow-emptying drains should be snaked. Outside drains especially need to be snaked before the spring rainy season.
• Low water volume might not be a big deal. Check your faucet aerators first. They may just have sediment in them. They can be cleaned by soaking them in vinegar.

Install strainers in inside drains to prevent hair, soap, and other debris from clogging up your pipes.

If any of these tips reveals a problem, give us a call at 210-651-5899. We can fix little problems before they turn into big, expensive ones.