Plumbing Tips for Spring
Guest contributor Patricia Bonacorda

As spring approaches, it is time to get ready for warmer weather. There are plenty of items to check both inside and outside of the home. Here are some fast and easy ways to prevent plumbing problems from occurring after the seasons have changed.

Exterior Home Prep

1. Clean the gutters: It is important to head to the roof and clear out the gutters and downspouts. Throughout the winter, debris builds up which can lead to clogs. These blockages may cause water damage, mold growth or costly leaks. Cleaning out the area will prevent these problems.

2. Examine the sump pump: Spring can be a rainy time, so it is essential to make sure the sump pump is in working order. To test the pump, you’ll have to pour some water into the pit. The pump should start after a few seconds, eliminate the water and shut back off. If this does not occur, it is important to contact a plumber. This will prevent the pump from burning out.

3. Check the outside hose bibs and faucets: When the ground thaws, one should check outdoor faucets for drips and leaks. A pipe may have frozen over winter and will need to be repaired. Look here for guidance if you need to replace one.

Interior Home Prep

1. Examine toilets: It is vital to check a toilet for leaks. To do this, drop some food coloring into the tank and wait an hour to see if the bowl water changes color. If that happens, it means the toilet is leaking. This can waste a great deal of water and raise monthly water bills. A plumber can easily fix the problem. Also, it is important to make sure the toilet is properly flushing. If it is necessary to wiggle the handle, it’s time to replace one or more of the parts inside the tank — they’re usually inexpensive.

2. Clean the showerhead: Many homes have water filled with minerals that deposit over time. Vinegar can be used to open the clogs in a showerhead and return it to like-new condition. Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and secure it around the showerhead. After soaking overnight, the mineral deposits should be gone.

3. Tend to drains: It is essential to make sure all drains have strainers that prevent clogs. Bathroom pipes can collect hair and soap, and kitchen pipes may collect pieces of food. These can lead to blockages that must be opened by a plumber. For the do-it-yourself person, try these methods on how to clean and unclog drains without the use of chemicals or fancy tools.

4. Inspect all pipes: Bathroom and kitchen sinks often have pipes you can easily see by opening the cabinets underneath. It is vital to inspect all pipes for leaks. Replacing damaged pipes will avoid expensive water damage.

5. Check the washing machine and dishwasher: The washing machine and dishwasher are two appliances that contain many hoses. Check for bulges or leaks in these hoses, and if there are any signs of weakness, or if the items are older than 10 years, it is wise to replace them. This will avoid messy leaks.

6. Inspect the water heater: It is essential to make sure the water heater's temperature setting is not above 120 degrees. This will prevent scalding and save energy. Also, when a home has a conventional tank-style appliance, it is important to drain a few gallons and flush away sediment that builds. This sediment causes corrosion and lowers efficiency. A tankless water heater should be flushed to remove deposits as well. Read and watch a video on the importance of water heater safety here.

The above tips are just a few easy ways to get your home ready for spring. Checking these things will help avoid costly water and repair bills, and certain items may be easily fixed without help. However, if the repairs seem too difficult, a qualified plumber will be able to solve the problem quickly and efficiently.

Author Bio:

Patricia Bonacorda is the President of Spartan Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, a plumbing and HVAC company that has assisted commercial restaurants and residential homes since 1964. Spartan Plumbing is a licensed, bonded and insured business that has provided professional plumbing, heating and air conditioning services throughout the DC Region.

I'm alive!

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Rain Water, how hard could it be?

RainWater is naturally soft, plants can hydrate much easier with rainwater than hard well water or hard tap water. This is why plants bloom and look so much better after a rain. So, all we need do, is use the plants that are regionally native in the landscapes we put around buildings. Or with plants that will live on just the rain, adaptive plants. Oh, did I hear you think, "it does not rain enough to support the landscape" ? My reply is we make it hard on ourselves when we want a landscape that is not native, in that we must augment the rain using a piping system and "Tap" water when we go outside of our regions plant natives. We make it hard to maintain an imported plant that is out of it's native environment. We make it "hard" by using hard water, and that is difficult for the plant to consume due to the hardness of the minerals in the water. Ok, you want a lush landscape, that can be done using native and adaptive plants. Other requirements do exist, like mulch, good soil, shade, and correct hydro zoning. Hydro zoning is planting and clustering plants in like areas requiring simular water, sun, and other. If irrigation is used, this grouping is smart so the plants needing water are together and plants needing to dry out between are allowed to do so. Looks are one thing, correct is another, both can co-exist, but good planning is required. Capturing rainwater is one way of creating a greener or more lush landscape with out using the hard and expensive tap water. Simple to do? depends on your definition of simple. Yes hire a professional ARCSA (American RainWater Catchment System Association)contractor, simple enough? Yes, simple enough for the consumer, but far more goes into a well designed and installed system than I thought, till I did a few systems. The water may be soft, but the task is a hard one. Some rules of thumb do exist, but most people want "turn & squirt" that's a play on words like "plug n play". We have come to just think water comes out when we open a faucet! When we stop the faucet, the water just sits there and waits for us to demand it some more. I say "demand it" because if the water does not squirt out instantly, we call plumbers till one shows up and are quite Impatient till the instant hot or cold and clean water just squirts out at our will. Water issues are already in most every town and city in most every country. The reason is the population has expanded, and the water system and capacity have not. Everyday wells go dry from too many wells sucking up all the water. Some wells do not dry up, instead the water just comes out from different levels of rock and aquifers. Too often this new source is very hard or even contaminated from either man caused reasons, or simply natural occouring deposits of non potable substances. Iron may seem easy to filter out, but if it oxidizes it will turn muddy and can foul up your pipes or treatment system. I hear people say, "oh, I will just drill a well and get all the water I want", this is not a sustainable thought, either because the well could drug up, or because if too many people do this the local authorities having control over water issues will set limits on who and how much or when and at what cost… In the 80's I saw the electric company in Az. require electric meters be installed on well systems and put a limit on the power that would be allowed to be used to pump the well water. The ground water is becoming an issue in most areas, most certainly going to be a controlled and limited source.