The way you use your plumbing changes with the shift of seasons. Summer brings a unique set of plumbing issues that are important to prepare for and tackle.
Seven of the most common summer plumbing issues are:
- Obstructed Toilets – School’s out for summer and your kids and their friends will use your home’s bathrooms for their restroom breaks. The added flushes will increase wear and tear on flappers, chains, and handles, forcing you to repair these items sooner rather than later.
- Clogged Garbage Disposal – Summer means more guests in your home and more material going down the disposal could lead to problems. Barbecue favorites like corn cobs, melon rinds, fruit stones, and meat grease will block your disposal. Be sure to run cold water for a few seconds before and after using the garbage disposal.
- Slow Draining Showers – Sand, dirt, and tiny bits of beach debris are common culprits of summer slow draining showers. If your shower is draining slowly, don’t reach for chemical clog removers – they will only delay the problem and increase the wear on your pipes. Try to snake your drain or call a plumber.
- Overloaded Washing Machines – Vacations, trips to the pool, walks outside, and other outdoor activities will increase the work of your washing machine. Increased use and overloading of the washing machine can lead to leaks in the hose. A hose leak will not only raise your water bill, but it can also cause significant flooding in your home!
- Non-functioning Sump Pump – Sump pumps keep your basement dry from intense summer rains, and if you don’t regularly maintain your pump, it could break down. When your sump pump malfunctions, you could be left with a significant amount of standing water in the basement.
- In-Ground Sprinkler Problems – Increased summer foot traffic on your lawn can endanger your sprinkler heads. A misplaced foot can crack a sprinkler head and cause a leak. A leaking sprinkler is often hard to detect but the problem will eventually become evident on your water bill.
- Outdoor Faucet Leaks – Outdoor faucets get used frequently in the summer, be it for pools, car washes, “slip and slides,” or other fun activities in the sun. A leaking faucet can be responsible for up to 90 gallons of excess water in a single day.
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