April showers bring May flowers, but spring also brings a list of important maintenance tasks for your plumbing. What can you do yourself and when should you call a professional?
DIY Spring Cleaning
Certain plumbing work should be added to your spring cleaning to-do list. Simple inspections around the home include checking faucets for drills or leaks, clearing your drains of hair, soap, and debris to stop clogs, and checking exposed pipes for leaks. If you’re able, there are certain tasks that can also be performed without a professional such as clearing yard drains, gutters, and downspouts, cheering and removing nests from plumbing vent pipes, clearing out your washing machine lint trap, and using a wire trap over the hose that drains the washer.
Professional Cleaning and Maintenance
Not everyone can go up and down a ladder to clean gutters – and not most people should. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 500,000 people are treated every year for ladder-related accidents with 300 of those accidents being deemed fatal.
Safety aside, there are also certain parts of your plumbing maintenance that should be left to a professional. Checking your sump pump is difficult, as most reside somewhere in your basement or crawlspace. The first check of the year should be in spring and about three months afterward. Complicated machinery shouldn’t be handled by unskilled hands. Your water heater should be inspected and painted or replaced after 15 years of operation and unsuspecting novice mechanics could get a scalding reminder why they should’ve called a plumber.
Additionally, a plumber will be able to check and fix your water pressure, repair toilet leaks or malfunctions, repair and replace piping, install a water softener, advise on any concern for possible future damage to your appliances, make sure your yard drainage is working as it should, fix your outdoor plumbing needs, and more!
