Spring is here at long last!  along with longer days and warmer weather. Time to clean up the yard, think about planting that vegetable garden and annuals. On that growing list of things to take care of is your home’s Victoria plumbing inside and out after the colder winter temperatures.

Outside

Before you know it the lawn and plants will need watering so checking on your home’s sprinkler system is a must. Inspect the system for leaks especially if you neglected to blow it out before the cooler weather arrived. Remember to check all your sprinkler heads for any damage that may have happened. Cleaning gutters and downspouts and followed by a visual inspection for any damage from rain, wind and snow. Patio drains need to be cleared of leaves or debris deposited there to let water flow freely. If you wrapped pipes or outside faucets to protect them from freezing that insulation can be removed. Finally check your hoses for splits or cracks and tighten up any loose connections to outdoor taps.

Inside

There’s nothing worse than waking up to no hot water for your shower and regular maintenance helps extend the life of your water heater. Draining and flushing your tank regularly will clear it of any sediment buildup. It can be scheduled for a different time of year as long as it done on an annual basis. Check that the temperature is set where you like it, set too high will increase energy costs and there’s the risk of a burn if it’s set too hot. Washer hoses can become brittle with age so check for damage and replace if necessary.

Don’t forget to check the water line on your refrigerator for leaky connections either! Freezing temperatures can result in leaks in water pipes, and go unnoticed in less trafficked areas like crawl spaces. A good way to check for leaks is to take a reading on the water meter at night then compare it in the morning. Any unexplained water loss could be a sign of a slow leak that unnoticed could cause a lot of damage. Lastly there’s the dishwasher’s drain to check as well as any clogs in the sprayer arm. A little time spent doing these plumbing checks could head off bigger problems and save you money.  Hiring a plumber is something you might consider investing in as they may be able to spot signs of trouble before they turn into bigger problems.

Contact The Clear Choice Plumbing & Heating for more details.