Fall is upon us and the cold winter months are just around the corner. As you know if you’re visiting the BelRed site and reading this blog, there are many things that homeowners need to do during this time of year to prepare for the changing temperatures and conditions ahead.
One area that needs special attention is your home’s plumbing. Changing seasons and temperatures, as mentioned above, can be great reminders to make sure your plumbing systems are working properly and efficiently. Preparing your pipes, faucets and other plumbing areas for the colder weather can help save some big headaches and frigid repairs in the future. Here are some fall checklist tips for your home’s plumbing:
- Check faucets for signs of leaks. Leaky faucets can cause a great deal of water (and sometimes heat) waste. Even a faucet that drips extremely slowly can cause water waste of a gallon or more per day. If it’s hot water that is slowly leaking, this can also cause an unnecessary amount of hot water usage in your home, adding an extra cost to your monthly heating bills.
- Flush sediment from your water heater. You probably already know water heaters are big contributors to your energy costs. What you may not know, however, is that sediment buildup in your water heater can be a drain on its efficiency. Heat that should be solely heating water can instead work to heat up the sediment, wasting valuable energy. Draining this sediment, or having it done professionally, can potentially save you big.
- Prepare for cold spells. Though it’s not normal for our area here in the Pacific Northwest to experience long periods of temperatures below freezing, it’s very possible. Ensuring you take precautionary measures to prevent freezing pipes is a good idea during this time of year. Add insulation to necessary pipes. Fix all noticeable leaks now, as these leaks can cause pipes to burst under freezing temperatures. If you know you’re going away when the days and nights get cold, ensure your heat stays on at a reasonable temperature to combat pipe freezing. Paying attention to these and other preventative measures can save you from big headaches and repair costs.
- Test your water pressure in all faucets. Checking the pressure of your faucets and showerheads can alert you to potential plumbing problems. Low pressure may be caused by sediment buildup or problems with the water line that need to be addressed. Again, doing this now while it’s still warm can help you avoid doing it in the freezing cold when a larger problem presents itself.
We’ll be following up with a few more helpful plumbing tips in part 2 of this series shortly, so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can contact BelRed for all of your plumbing needs and advice.
