From all of us at Butler Plumbing, have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Whether you’re staying at home during this Christmas season or traveling abroad, here are five important tips from Butler Plumbing on home maintenance jobs to perform before you put your feet up for the holidays.
Plumbing Maintenance Tips for the Holidays
Remove Outside Hoses from Faucets
Even if you’ve shut off your outside faucets, an attached hose can still damage both the hose and pipe. In order to prevent damage, disconnect and drain all hoses of any residual water. Then store them in a sheltered area.
Check Your Outdoor Meters
Severe build-up of snow and ice can damage your meter, and could potentially cause disruptions to your heating service. To avoid this, simply clear any snow from your meter with a snow brush or broom. Avoid using salts, hot water or other snow melting chemicals as they could potentially damage the meter.
While Your Checking Your Meters Check Your Vents
Intake and exhaust vents need to be clear of lint, leaves and ice to work properly. You’ll need to clear any snow build up from them as well. Take a brush or broom and clear the vent from any snow, ice or debris in contact with it. After that, remove any snow from the area. Like with your meter, avoid using salts, hot water and other melting chemicals.
Avoid Busted Pipes
Protecting your pipes with foam padding sleeves or special insulating tape will help in safeguarding at risk pipes from ruptures during winter. It’s also possible to use space heaters to keep any exposed pipes warm; just make sure they’re at a safe distance to avoid heating the pipe too much.
Locate Your Main Shutoff Valve
During a plumbing emergency, you may need to shut off the flow of water. If such an emergency occurs, you don’t want to be fumbling around for the right valve. Locate and clearly label your shutoff valves, it’ll save you the trouble of doing so when you don’t have the luxury of time. Also, if you are traveling this holiday season, make sure that you’ve closed your now labeled main shutoff valve. If any pipes rupture during your travels any leakage will be minimized.
Check Your Hot Water Tank
Its is a good idea to every now and then to check your hot water tank for any leaks. Occasionally your hot water tank may start to leak due to general wear and tear. A leak caught early can be easily fixed as opposed to potentially needing a brand new tank.
Search For Air Leaks
Air leaks around your house can be causing valuable heat to escape and increasing your monthly heating bills. Take a candle and hold it close to windows and light fittings, if you see the smoke move in a horizontal direction patch it up with some caulking and you’re good to go!
Correctly Store Your Solvents
Solvents are flammable and can be corrosive, so they can potentially create a lot of damage. Avoid storing solvents close to any gas operated appliances, such as your hot water heater or furnace. We recommend storing your solvents in a cool and dry place away from your main appliances, such as garage shelves, outdoor sheds or storage containers.
Maintain Your Dryer
Routine maintenance of your dryer will help your machine last longer and ensure that your home stays safe. Make sure to check and clean the built-in lint filter because blocked filters affect your dryer’s overall performance. To maintain your dryer, vacuum the dryer screen filter compartment and double check the exhaust hood for lint.
Make Sure Your Sump Pump is Working Properly
Sump pumps prevent dampness from building up and prevents flooding. It is important to make sure your sump pump is working to keep your basement moisture free. Maintenance should be done every 3-4 months as well as once a year.
If you have any trouble with the home maintenance tips above please don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll see what we can do for you.
