Spring is one of the most exciting time of the year. Homeowners get energized and ready to take on tasks that they’ve put off over the winter. Whether its spring cleaning or tending to maintenance and repairs, there is no season quite like it to get things done around the house.
When you are making your checklist, don’t forget to include inspecting your outdoor plumbing for problems. Being proactive indoors and out can help keep costly plumbing problems to a minimum. Here are some tips for you.
Look at the Outdoor Faucets
You may already be in the habit of checking your indoor plumbing fixtures for potential leaks, which is good. Don’t forget your outdoor plumbing fixtures too, like your faucets.
They too are prone to leaks, which wastes water, causes damage and raises your water bills. Turn faucets on and make sure water flows well. Tighten if you see dripping when the faucet is off.
To test for leaks further down the pipeline, place your thumb over the opening of the spigot and turn the water on to full. If the spray of the water is sufficient to dislodge your thumb, you are ok. If not, you’ve likely got a leak. Call your Tacoma, WA plumber for an appointment.
Replace Old Hoses
Before you put the garden hoses back into service for the spring and summer, double check that they didn’t sustain any damage through the winter.
Hoses are made of rubber, after all, so are prone to breakage. Even a small crack can mean a big leak when the water goes on.
Make sure that the nozzles screw tightly in the hose bibs as well.
Sprinkler Repair
Walk about your lawn and garden to make sure that your irrigation system’s nozzles aren’t damaged, full of rocks and dirt, or that the grass hasn’t grown over them.
Check each valve box individually to make sure that the water will flow well. Replace backup batteries as you need in the controllers and double check the settings for time and date so that your system will go on when you need it.
Clean out Your Gutters
As leaves and other debris gather in your gutters, you could have a water drainage problem on your hands, which means trouble for your roof.
Make a path for the water to flow out of the drain pipes by cleaning out your gutters regularly.
How do you know when you’ve got an outdoor plumbing leak? The best way is to call your plumber for a leak inspection.