When the holiday season arrives, you’ll likely have extra visitors at your home. One problem you don’t want to be stuck dealing with is a plumbing emergency. Fortunately, with the tips we’ll cover below, you can significantly reduce your risk of experiencing one.
Schedule a Drain Cleaning
One of the best things you can do is hire a professional for drain cleaning. To accomplish this, plumbers use a hydro jet to force high-pressure water down your sewer line. This will clear away any debris stuck to the inside of your piping that could otherwise lead to a clog. Scheduling this service in the early fall is a great way to prevent a plumbing clog during the holiday season.
Request a Plumbing Inspection
As with any system in your home, regular inspections by a licensed professional are recommended. Scheduling a routine plumbing inspection every fall is a good habit to develop. This will enable us to identify any minor issues your system may have, such as a leaky faucet or a hidden plumbing leak. By addressing these issues while they’re small, we can significantly reduce your risk of experiencing a major plumbing emergency in the future.
Buy a Water Softener System
There’s no doubt that Thousand Palms is known for its hard water. As a homeowner, those excess minerals in the water can wreak havoc on your plumbing system. From reducing your water heater’s operating efficiency to causing internal pipe corrosion, it’s a real problem. A water softener system can be an excellent investment that removes sediments from your water. This will extend the longevity of your plumbing system and reduce your risk of experiencing problems.
Invest in a Water Heater Service
One of the most important water-using appliances in your home is your hot water heater. Ensuring it can operate efficiently starts with routine maintenance. Our professional plumbers will thoroughly inspect your water heater for any malfunctioning or worn-out components.
For example, it’s common for hard water sediments to erode the water heater’s anode rod. Our plumbers will install a new anode rod to protect the inside of your water heater’s tank from unwanted corrosion. Additionally, we’ll flush your water heater to remove any sediment buildup inside your tank.
Use Drain Strainers
One of the primary causes of plumbing clogs is flushing the wrong items down your drains. Whether it’s coffee grounds or hair, it can all bind together and form a blockage in your sewer line. A simple fix is to put strainers over all your drains. Be sure to clean them every week to safely remove any debris and ensure consistent water flow.
Test Your Sump Pump
If you live in a low-lying area that’s susceptible to flooding, having a sump pump is an absolute necessity to protect your home. To ensure your sump pump is working properly, test it monthly. You can easily do this by pouring water into the pit or running a hose into it.
When you do this, ensure the pump activates and water flows out of the discharge pipe. Additionally, check that the pump shuts off when the water level returns to normal. You may even want to consider installing a battery backup. This way, your sump pump can have power even if your local power grid goes down, which is common during thunderstorm conditions.
Educate Guests About Drain and Toilet Usage
With more people in your home comes the increased risk of plumbing problems. You can help minimize this risk by informing guests about what they can’t put down your drains and toilets. This can go a long way in preventing these items from clogging your drain and sewer lines.
Don’t forget about your kitchen either. It’s a good idea to have a separate container for leftover cooking grease, oils, and fats. Having an easy location other than the drain to dispose of these items makes it easier to keep them out of your drain and sewer lines.
Upgrade Outdated Equipment
When it comes to experiencing issues with your plumbing system, the oldest components are more likely to have a problem than new ones. If you know that you have fixtures that are on their last leg, it’s best to upgrade now. If you have aging sewer lines or water supply lines, consider repiping them before the winter season arrives. If your conventional water heater is over 10 years old, think about replacing it before winter arrives.
Purchase a Maintenance Plan
One of the easiest ways to make plumbing maintenance easier is to invest in a maintenance plan. We offer a convenient plan that includes services like a plumbing inspection and water heater flushing. This will eliminate the guesswork of preparing your system, allowing you to enjoy your holiday season with family and friends without the fear of a plumbing emergency interrupting the festivities.
Have a Plumbing Emergency Kit Ready
While you can do your best to prevent plumbing problems, they may still happen. Having a plumbing emergency kit can enable you to respond quickly when one occurs. Your kit should have a plunger, one for the sink and one for the toilet. It should have a bucket and towels for quick water cleanup, as well as a flashlight for easy viewing under sinks.
For minor plumbing emergencies, such as a clogged toilet, you may be able to perform the repairs yourself. However, for larger issues, like a failing water heater or a burst pipe, it’s best to leave the repair to our plumbers.
Book a Septic Pumping
If you live outside of the main city limits, you likely rely on a septic tank to hold your home’s wastewater. It can be highly advantageous to schedule septic pumping before the holiday season. This will ensure there’s no possibility of overloading your septic tank when you have guests over for the joyous season.
Test Plumbing in Guest Bathrooms
If you have a separate guest bathroom in your home, it may not get a whole lot of use. Over time, not using these fixtures could allow the water in their P-traps to evaporate. When that happens, toxic sewer gases can leak up into your living space, and your fixtures may malfunction. By taking the time to test your fixtures before your guests arrive, you can avoid these unfortunate issues.
Consider a Smart Leak Detection System
One last thing to consider is installing a smart leak detection system. This uses multiple sensors that you place on the ground near your water-using appliances. Place them behind your dishwasher, clothes washer, under your sinks, and so forth.
These sensors will detect moisture and send an alert to your smartphone when moisture is detected. This will instantly alert you to a plumbing leak as soon as it occurs, allowing you to react quickly and minimize the damage.
Expert Plumbing Inspection Services
General Air Conditioning & Plumbing provides expert plumbing inspection services for the Thousand Palms, CA area. We can also assist with all your plumbing installation, repair, and replacement needs. Contact General Air Conditioning & Plumbing today to book your next service appointment!
