Plumbing maintenance before winter
– By #Me
What could be worse than trying to take a steamy shower on a chilly winter morning and not having any hot water? Prevent that from happening to you by taking the time now to ensure your plumbing system will work for you throughout the cold months, and by fixing any small problems before they become big messes. Being proactive about maintaining your plumbing system is as easy as taking a few minutes during football commercials to follow these few simple steps.
Start outside
Begin your fall plumbing maintenance by walking the perimeter of your house and checking all outdoor faucets and other outside plumbing. Unhook all hoses from faucets and store for the winter; water in hoses left connected can freeze, leading to frozen faucets and pipes. While you’re disconnecting hoses, check to make sure that faucets don’t have any leaks, and get any drips that you do notice looked into right away.
Prep your water heater
Mineral and sediment build-up that accumulates over time will cause your water heater to not run as efficiently, so draining and flushing your water heater at least once a year is recommended. Since your water heater needs to work harder during the winter in order to heat the incoming colder water, fall is a great time to take care of this chore to ensure your water heater is up for the task. If you’re unsure about how to drain and flush your water heater, contact one of the friendly professionals at Action Mechanical to help you get the job done.
Prevent frozen pipes
The best way to prevent pipes from freezing is to keep your home’s temperature set to at least 50°F throughout the winter, even while you are away for extended periods of time. Also, keeping interior doors open allows heat to circulate throughout your home, preventing pipes from reaching freezing temperatures. Pipes that are located in places like basements, attics, or garages need extra precautions taken to guard against freezing; adding additional insulation or heat tape to the pipes in those locations is an easy and affordable way to reduce the risk of dealing with frozen pipes this winter.
A little preventative care goes a long way in lowering the risk of dealing with a plumbing disaster this winter. Rest assured knowing that the experts at Action Mechanical are only a phone call away and ready to help in maintaining your plumbing system, and will provide fast, reliable service in the case of an emergency.
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