Spring is finally here and it’s time to start spring cleaning! It’s easy to throw in plumbing maintenance when it comes time to spring clean to ensure that your plumbing is working and there are no leaks.

Outdoor Faucets:

These are the most important to check due to the fact that it could have possibly froze over with the cold winter weather. It is also very important to check because we often overlook our outdoor faucets since we don’t use them as often as our indoor plumbing. Usually, the problem is a washer that needs to be replaced, so there’s no need to worry if you see a leak. However, if there is a leak, you should inspect it and repair it immediately, or call a plumber to assess the issue. It is important to take care of it promptly to avoid wasting water and racking up your water bill. Sometimes, your faucets need to be completely replaced or repaired, and if you’re not comfortable changing it yourself, make sure to contact a plumber to help.

Toilets:

Many times we notice our toilets breaking right away, but have you heard it run for longer than usual lately? Do you have to “wiggle” the handle to get it to fill up the toilet bowl, or to get it to stop running? That’s a huge indicator that your toilet needs to be serviced. There are many things that can cause your toilet to run, but most of the time it’s a quick easy fix. You can try the “blue dye” test to see if the flapper is leaking by putting a few drops of blue food coloring into the toilet tank, waiting 20-30 minutes without flushing it, and then looking into the bowl after the 20-30 minutes is up. If there is blue food coloring in the toilet bowl, that indicates a flapper leak. On the other hand, if your toilet won’t fill up or doesn't flush, you may need your toilet rodded out to get rid of a clog in the drain. We do not recommend trying to unclog your toilet drains yourself, you can make the clog worse. We recommend a plumber comes out and rods the toilet with a rodding machine.

Water Heater:

Did you know that the average lifespan of a water heater is 10 years? After 10 years, you run the risk of problems such as leaks, bad control valves and it completely breaking down, resulting in no hot water for you. If you know your water heater is coming up to the end of its lifespan, you should regularly maintenance the water heater and keep inspecting it closely to prevent it from completely breaking down on you, and leaving you with no hot water. We recommend replacing the water heater before the 10 years is up to prevent last minute emergencies.

Sink Drains:

This is one of those things that you will notice when it’s clogged or broken, but it is recommended to check on it from time to time to prevent clogs. The sink trap is underneath your sink, and it is curved, which most people tend to forget about. Since there is a bend in it, it could make it difficult for people who aren’t educated to unclog it or rod it out with average tools from the hardware store. If there is a clog, or a bad smell coming from your drain, it is time to call for maintenance.

Shower Head:

Are you behind on keeping up with cleaning your shower head? Make sure you are regularly cleaning the shower head to ensure you are getting the best amount of flow from the head as possible. Over time mineral deposits build up on the head, and clog the holes. This is a simple fix, you can take your shower head off and soak it in white vinegar to dissolve all of the deposit off. Leave it sit for 15-25 minutes depending on how bad it is, and then wash the vinegar off with warm water, and you’re good to go again!

You should always check on your plumbing fixtures, but it’s even more important to check them as the weather is warming up incase of leaking that could have happened from winter weather damage. When in doubt, call a plumber and have them come out to look at your entire house and all of your fixtures to make sure everything is in good working condition.

Guest Contributor: Tiffany Powell