Summer Is Here! Is Your Plumbing Ready?

It’s summertime! The last thing you’re thinking about is your plumbing, right? I mean, you made it through winter without any pipes freezing. The water heater held up. You didn’t have to use your sprinklers, so they’ve got to be good.

Plumbing problems and summer do not go together, right?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.  As is the case with most plumbing problems, you can rarely predict them. However, there are steps you can take to prevent issues from occurring. Or at least catch a possible problem before it escalates into a disaster.

1. Sprinklers. Like it’s stated above, you went the winter and probably most of the spring without having to use your sprinklers. A little rain and a sun that isn’t baking everything help keep those sprinkler heads in the ground. However, it doesn’t mean they still didn’t experience some wear and tear during their off-season. The best thing to do is run them at the beginning of late spring or early summer to check for damaged heads, leaks and make sure your timer is operating as it should. Often, non-use can be just as damaging as overuse. Checking your irrigation system early and fixing any issues will ease most concerns if you keep your sprinklers on a timer and go out of town on vacation.
2. Dishwashers. Summer equals more kids around the house since school is out. More friends over. Cookouts and holidays with friends and family. Which also means more dishes and more dishwasher cycles. Get up-to-date on your dishwasher manufacturer’s recommended maintenance and upkeep and ensure it’s ready to rock. Also, climb under the sink and inspect the supply and drain lines, ensuring everything is tight and there are no weeps that may become full-fledged leaks.
3. Garbage disposal. With all those extra dishes from all that extra food you’ll be grilling comes grease. The easiest way to deal with it is to drain it off your cookware or soak it up with paper towels and dispense it into the trash. Do not just rinse it all off into the sink’s disposal or put the dishes into the dishwater covered in grease. Grease can gunk up your disposal and drain line. It also serves as a nice resting place for food debris to build up. Slow and clogged drains are sure to follow.
4. Air conditioning. As the summertime heat kicks up, so will the use of your air conditioning. And the harder your air conditioning works, the more critical it is to ensure your A/C’s condensate drain line remains clear. If it’s not draining correctly, it’s usually due to some kind of build-up like mold, mildew, or algae. One of the first things you’ll notice is the A/C working harder but the house not cooling like it usually would. An inefficient drain can cause the condensate drain pan to overflow and leak into your home, causing water damage if not caught early. An easy way to keep it clear is to run 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain line (some people use bleach), followed by boiling water after sitting for 30 minutes.
5. Supply lines. Just walk around and check them every once and a while: sinks, toilets, washing machine, water heater. Check them routinely, looking for tell-tale signs of leaks and drips. When you leave town, turn the supply lines off. Easy.

Enjoy your summer, but also get ahead of the game on plumbing problems that could be easily prevented.