You may already know that your heating and air conditioning equipment needs annual HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) maintenance, but did you realize that you also should have an expert perform your annual plumbing maintenance? Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning offers the Plumbing PLUS™ Maintenance Agreement for Roanoke homeowners to help them find issues before they result in big problems. While we recommend calling immediately for plumbing problems and arrange for your plumbing maintenance yearly, here are a few ways to get your home in tip-top plumbing shape for spring.
- Verify any plumbing leaks
Look at all your faucets and toilets for any leaks. When you turn off your faucets check around the connections for water dripping out; if there is, installing new fixtures or repairing the leak could help boost the faucet’s function and may even lower your water bill.
Once you’ve checked the faucets, scan all accessible pipes for signs of leaks. You can often find visible pipes in the basement and under sinks. Sometimes pipes can freeze and then crack so spring is the perfect time to make sure the winter weather didn’t cause any damage or plumbing problems.
- Give your drains some long overdue TLC
Check your toilet for any leaks or cracks in the bowl and the tank. If your toilet seems to be in good condition, go ahead and put about six drops of food coloring into the tank water. Wait for about 35 minutes and then peak at the bowl. If the water in the bowl is clear, you’re good to go. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you might have a leak and should call a plumbing expert.
- Don’t forget your water heater maintenance
If an unpleasant odor seems to be getting in from any of the drains in your home, it be evidence that plumbing maintenance is necessary. A properly functioning drain shouldn’t release odors into the air. Check to make sure there are strains installed in all your drains to stop hair and other waste from spoiling in the pipes and resulting in a clog. Once you’ve treated them with a common drain cleaner, pour four quarts of water through drains that are not used regularly. This will fill the trap and help to avoid odors from sneaking in and filling up your home.
Your water heater takes great care of you so ensure you’re returning the kindness. Don’t forget that newer water heaters have a higher efficiency, so if yours is more than 15 years old, it may be about time to purchase a new one in order to ensure you don’t have that sudden burst of cold water for multiple days. Whether or not you plan on purchasing an upgraded water heater, there are some things you can do to help keep it running properly.
Make sure the temperature setting on the equipment is not set higher than 120°F. This will help decrease your energy consumption (and help reduce your bills) while also preventing scalding. For safety sake, you will want to remove any objects from around the water heater. Your 12 month Plumbing PLUS Maintenance plan includes a water heater maintenance; and it may even help your water heater perform more efficiently and avoid plumbing problems from happening.
These are just some ways of how you can help get your plumbing ready for spring, but if you are not comfortable completing any of these tasks, always feel free to call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and we can come out and complete your yearly plumbing maintenance and fix (or help avoid) any plumbing problems.