It’s summertime, and the temperatures are rising. Soon, you’ll be spending every waking moment possible in an air-conditioned environment or near a pool. While you are focused on staying comfortable and cool this season, don’t forget to take care of your plumbing. During the summer is when some issues are more likely to occur because of a change in water usage and lifestyle habits. Check out the following summertime plumbing tips you can use to keep everything in tip-top shape.
Don’t Turn the Garbage Disposal Into a Dump
You may be hosting more backyard soirees, picnics and barbecue parties than usual. Therefore, you need to prepare more food. In your quest to make sure you have everything prepped just right for your cookouts, you may be unconsciously modifying you habits and tossing items that you normally would not down the garbage disposal. Sure, it has blades that spin and chop things up. The problem with using your garbage disposal like it’s a trash can is that many food items that are fibrous and greasy can lead to blockages in your pipes. If you have summertime amnesia, keep in mind that the following items should be disposed of properly and not in your garbage disposal.
- Bones
- Egg shells
- Fruit pits
- Grease
- Potato peels
Treat your garbage disposal right, and it’ll work long and hard for you to make clean up after meal prep and cooking easier.
Going Away for a Few Days?
If you plan to take a vacation that is going to have you away from home for more than a few days, you should adjust the temperature on your water heater. Lower the temperature several degrees, so you are not losing so much energy to heat water that is not going to be used for a while. You should also consider turning up the temperature on your refrigerator since no one is going to be opening the door as much and causing it to lose coolness.
Summertime Plumbing Toilet Issues
Summer vacation for some people means the kids are home and your plumbing system is working overtime. One area that takes a lot of abuse is the toilet. Now that it is getting more action, you may notice that it runs, makes weird noises and may be hard to flush because the handle needs to be jiggled a certain way. While these issues may not bother you too much, they could be bleeding your pockets dry because they result in more water waste. It’s a good idea for you to get those issues fixed by a professional plumber soon, so they do not become major issues later.
Take Care of Your Sprinklers
Believe it or not, your lawn sprinklers are part of your home’s summertime plumbing system. They can easily become damaged when you’re mowing your lawn, from your kids playing and from a lack of maintenance or repairs. Damaged sprinklers often work, but they use water far less efficiently than they should and can lead to flooding. They can also leak and drip which can increase the amount of water you’re using and increase your bills. If your sprinklers aren’t working properly, or you can remember the last time you had them serviced, get them inspected and repaired as soon as possible.
Many summertime plumbing issues are avoidable with proper care and maintenance. It doesn’t matter if you are going to take time off from work to chill at home or travel somewhere exotic, don’t forget to get your plumbing system squared away first.
For more summertime plumbing advice feel free to contact the plumbing experts at Steve Mull Plumbing by dialing (615) 965-8902.
