Get Ready for Fall & Winter With Our Fall Plumbing Maintenance Tips

Fall Plumbing Maintenance To Prepare You For Fall And Winter!

As much as we don’t want to admit it, the summer season is finally winding down in southern Ontario. While the cooler temperatures start to roll in, we suggest our readers in London to follow a few fall plumbing maintenance tips to get your drains ready for fall. Taking preventative measures now can save you time, money, and heartache once winter arrives, when complications from freezing temperatures can cause real damage to your pipes. To save yourself from a household emergency, follow these helpful pointers compiled by our expert team of plumbing professionals.

Fall Plumbing Maintenance Tips And Tricks

The most common mistake we see homeowners make during the seasonal changeover is forgetting about their garden hose. If left connected to your house, the water in the hose can freeze once the temperatures dip low enough. When water freezes, it also expands and causes the hose to break, and – more importantly – the taps, spigot, and connecting pipes leading into your home can be damaged too. Our plumbers have had to repair a lot of cracks and even burst pipes for their clients due to this very issue. Remember to disconnect your garden hose and drain it of extraneous water before storing it away for the winter.

Double check that the faucet is tightened to ensure that the water can no longer flow, and turn off any interior shut-off valves that lead to these pipes if your house has them. If you want to go the extra mile and secure you outdoor faucet with a Styrofoam insulation kit (something you can buy at most hardware stores in London), you’ll be as good as gold.

Styrofoam (or rubber) is also a good insulator for indoor pipes in the parts of your home that are unheated. Crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages are prime locations for pipes prone to freezing, so be sure to check these areas of your house. The cost of these insulators varies depending on quality and the pipe material it’s compatible with, but even the most economical foam will prevent your pipes from freezing in the winter. They’ll also cut down on condensation in the summer. While you move throughout your home checking unheated pipes, you should also be inspecting your taps for leaks.

Another part of your home that needs autumnal inspection is your hot water heater. It goes through the ringer during the colder months, as you and your family jack the heat for showers and baths in order to combat the frigid temperatures outside. Make sure you’re heater is up to the challenge by speaking with a trained member of our team. Whether yours is electric, gas, or propane with a storage tank or tankless, they know hot water heaters inside and out. They’ll be able to flush out unwanted residue built up over the summer to reduce corrosion. They’ll also complete a full inspection of the appliance, to make sure there are no underlying issues that could cause your heater to malfunction.

Get Your Drains To A Great Start!

Taking the time to complete these simple fall plumbing maintenance tips during the month of September will help you prevent a major catastrophe this winter. Once you’re ready to prepare your hot water heater for the winter, get in touch with a local representative, and we’ll set up an appointment with one of our fall plumbing maintenance experts. They’re available 24/7 to help homeowners like you winterize your homes. While you wait, you can check out what other services we offer in the London, Ontario area. We can help any time of the year!