Although there are still going to be hot days outside, fall is coming. Every season brings with it some unique challenges. Is your home’s plumbing up to the task? It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Deal with Outdoor Hoses
The first thing you’ll want to do is locate all of the outdoor hoses in your yard. Turn them off after running them, if you need to. Then take a few minutes to unplug them from their spigots. The big reason for this is that you won’t have to water your lawn as often once it cools down. If you rely on sprinklers or other automatic irrigation systems, reset them so that they don’t turn on and off as often. Changes in the weather could damage the hose casings, and much like pipes, they can burst. Don’t let this happen to you.
Insulate Your Faucets
The next step is to insulate your faucets. You can get kits from the store that will guide you through the process of what comes next. Adding insulation reduces the chances of severe water damage affecting your home once colder weather does actually set in later this year.
Empty the Heater
After you’ve done that, it’s time to drain out the heater. Get rid of any residual water. Although this doesn’t seem necessary right now, you’ll be glad you did it once you need to start turning your heater on. This will allow your heater to work more efficiently, especially if you would like to have more hot water available once it really does get cold outside.
Double Check Pressure Valves
The final step is to double-check the pressure valves. The pressure valves on the water heaters give you some important information that you shouldn’t ignore. Pull the lever that’s there and bring it down as carefully as you can so you don’t splash yourself with hot water. Water should be moving, and if it isn’t then it’s time for new valves. So if you discover that this is the case, then don’t hesitate to get a professional plumber that you can trust on the phone!
All of Your Plumbing Needs from Master Plumbing
Give Master Plumbing a call at (301) 650-9100 or contact us online to get more information on how our expert plumbers can help you with your dripping faucet (or just about anything else plumbing related!). We have received Angie’s List Super Service Award recognition for plumbing and drain cleaning every year since 2007, in addition to the Best Plumber award from Best of Bethesda. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured and our service is unparalleled. Give us a call today—you won’t regret it! To see examples of our projects, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.