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Posted on September 18, 2015 by

Top 3 Fall Home Maintenance Disasters

The cool fall temperatures are a clear reminder that winter and ice cold weather is soon to be here. Fall is the season when Tacoma homeowners should not procrastinate in doing cool weatherizing chores that will save you money and prevent cool weather disasters that will cost you a fortune later.

Tacoma, WA fall_home_maintenanceRemember that fall weather can be unpredictable and even though you may not be really close to the winter season, many parts of the country can have early cold flashes well before the traditional freezing time of the year.

So, do not delay in taking affirmative steps to protect your Tacoma home and property from cool weather’s damaging effects.

Maintaining Your Hot Water Heater

Obviously, if you know that cold weather is coming, then you do not want to have to take a cold shower if your hot water heater fails on you unexpectedly.

You can take several steps to prevent your hot water heater from failing and to make sure that it is in great working order now while it’s safe:

Unscrew the side panel where your heating element is located, it should be clearly marked. You should only have to unscrew the metal panel.

Then, you can loosen two other screws and remove the heating element to ensure that it is clean and free of sediment build-up. After cleaning it, replace it likewise and put the cover back on.

Also, you should test the pressure release valve and make sure that any hoses are securely in place as well as checking that they are not leaking.

Checking Outdoor Faucets and Spigots

Outdoor spigots tend to extend above ground and are often exposed to the elements. During fall cold snaps, they can quickly freeze up and either become non-functional or else crack and burst due to the expanding ice inside.

To combat this spigots are traditionally wrapped with an insulating product and duct taped or otherwise wrapped with an insulating product. Insulating foam sleeves can be purchased these days precisely for this purpose and are a bit less unsightly.

Securing Pipes in the Basement and Crawlspace Under the Home

Just like outdoor spigots, likewise exposed pipes, particularly PVC ones, under your house can be prone to freezing and bursting. So, unless you want lots of water damage happening in the middle of the winter cold snap, then it is advisable to either insulate these pipes as soon as possible or hire a plumber to wrap those pipes right away.

Remember that extreme weather can happen with little notice even in the southern United States. If you let a sudden freeze catch you off-guard them you will literally pay the price later.

One of the best ways to get all of these household chores handled today and in a timely manner is simply to hire a reliable plumbing company to do it now before disaster strikes.

Think of the expense as a necessary home preventative that will save you a future bill that will require much cleaning, repair, and reinstallation of broken pipes and fixtures.

If it can go wrong, it will – unless you keep up with a regular maintenance schedule. Call All Purpose Plumbing at (253) 473-5100 to get your Tacoma, WA home inspected.