Five Star Plumbing is here for you whenever you need us, but you can give your plumbing system a little DIY love in the summer to ensure it remains healthy throughout the season. Summer is the perfect time to put on your overalls and become a plumber with DIY plumbing maintenance. Here are five summer plumbing maintenance tasks that will give you the satisfaction of a job well done and prevent summer plumbing disasters.
Check for Leaks
Grab a flashlight and check for plumbing leaks. Inspect the areas around your showers, sinks, toilets, and tubs. Add food coloring to your toilet’s tank to make sure it doesn’t seep into the bowl. Check the walls, floors, ceilings, and exterior spaces for signs of unwanted water. Inspect your hot water heater and the area around it, too, to make sure you don’t see any moisture.
Inspect Your Sprinkler System
Inspect your sprinkler system, too, as well as your outdoor hoses and their connections. Turn on your sprinklers and make sure they work as they should and cover your yard effectively. Adjust the heads if they aren’t watering where they should be and also check for broken or leaking heads or lines. Check your garden hoses, too, for holes or leaks at the spigots.
Clear Your Gutters
Okay, this isn’t exactly a plumbing job, but we get plenty of summer showers in Texas, so before the weather gets too hot and humid, head outside and clean your rain gutters. This ensures they won’t clog during the next summer storm and leak onto your roof. You know what happens if they do: roof damage. Clear out the dirt, debris, and leaves and twigs so they flow freely.
Clean Your Drains
Summer brings extra bathing, barbecues with extra dishes, and dirty hands from yard work. The more you use your drains the more clogged they get. Clean your drains once a month with baking soda, white vinegar, and hot water. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drains and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Plug the drains and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes and then wash it down with boiling water.
We know you’ve got these DIY plumbing maintenance jobs under control, but if you do end up with a plumbing emergency, call Five Star Plumbing in San Antonio, TX. The respective numbers are 210-446-4570 and 361-400-0244. We’re on call 24/7 and can handle any plumbing emergency you have, so call us today for all of your plumbing needs.