Winters can be tough in Fort Collins, which makes maintaining outdoor appliances an important task for homeowners. Cold weather can be damaging to hoses and pipes. Spring is the perfect time to take care of outdoor plumbing as warm weather is just around the corner.
By inspecting these appliances, you have an opportunity to conduct repairs or order replacements before temperatures rise and you use them regularly. Fix up any problems early, so you don’t have to deal with the consequences later.
Our 24-hour plumber is here to help you with your spring cleaning. Here are a variety of tasks you can perform to prepare your outdoor plumbing for the warm months.
Get Rid of Debris in Your Gutters
It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. Cleaning your home’s gutters is one of the most important outdoor plumbing tasks you can perform each year. During fall, leaves can accumulate in your eavestroughs and winter only exacerbates the problem by adding dirt and residue.
This debris can create clogs and blockages, thereby affecting the drainage capacity of your gutters. It’s best to clean them up before the first rainfall in order to avoid flooding or water damage to your home.
Closely Review Each Hose
As temperatures drop, the chances of hoses forming cracks and holes increases. Before you can use these hoses, you need to repair any damage caused by winter weather.
If you end up using a leaky hose, it could result in thousands of gallons of wasted water and a spike in your utility bill. It’s a good idea to take a good look at every hose to see if any repairs are necessary.
Check Up on Your Sprinkler Heads
Performing maintenance on your sprinkler system is easy. Simply run water through, and you should be able to spot any problems.
If a sprinkler head isn’t functioning properly, it may require a thorough cleaning or the services of a plumber to fix up. An extra benefit of testing your sprinkler system is you can simultaneously check to see if there are any problems with your hoses.
Run Outdoor Faucets
Before inspecting any hoses, it’s probably a good idea to test the outdoor faucets. Turn them on and off again. If you notice any dripping, it’s a problem that needs to be fixed right away.
Outdoor faucets that drip can result in increased water consumption, damage to the building and standing water around the foundation.
Hire the services of a plumber to take care of the problem, which can be as small as a worn-out washer or as big as a broken pipe. Either way, it needs to be fixed immediately.
By remembering to perform these simple tasks, you can save yourself a lot of strife and possibly a pile of cash due to catching any problems early. Conducting routine maintenance can only have a positive impact on your outdoor plumbing.
