Summer is here. The sun is shining, the water is warm, and the days are long. Everybody’s happy. Vacations are coming up. Nothing could possibly go wrong… right? Well, kind of.
Summer is the season of parties, picnics, and sleepovers. This means it’s also the season of extra pressure being put on your home’s plumbing. With more people around to use your plumbing, there’s an added chance of damage. Luckily, you can protect against these problems with just a little bit of foresight.
Today we’ll discuss the most common Texas summer plumbing problems. We’ll also cover the best ways to prevent them and how to fix them if they happen.
Clogged Garbage Disposals
This problem is frequently the result of well-meaning house guests wanting to help clean after a BBQ or party. There are right ways and wrong ways to use a garbage disposal. Make sure guests aren’t throwing the most common clog-causers into the disposal. These things include coffee grounds, fibrous vegetables, hot grease, egg shells, bones, pasta, and actual trash.
Just because it’s called a garbage disposal doesn’t mean you can put garbage in it. If your garbage disposal does get clogged, the best option is to call a professional to come in and clear it. Because the unit itself involves sharp and potentially harmful blades, it’s best to skip it as a DIY project.
Outdoor Faucet Problems
It makes sense that your outdoor faucets are more likely to get damaged during the warmest time of year. No one is screwing and unscrewing hoses or turning them on to fill up water pails in winter. This extra use can lead to water bill busting leaks and drips.
It can also lead to rusting handles and worn out seals. These problems can’t be avoided since they come with general degradation over time. They can, however, be replaced by a faucet repair pro as soon as problems are noticed.
Sewer Back-Ups
Summer is a time where droughts are more common and likely to happen. That means less water is flowing through your sewage system. This can lead to problems like foul odors from waste drying in empty lines as well as infrastructure damage. Problems with roots blocking and erupting pipes are more common in summer as well. That’s because trees and shrubs are looking for moisture they might not find elsewhere.
What can be done about these issues? Awareness is your best guard. Now that you know these problems are more likely in the summer, you can look out for them. If you think your sewer line isn’t running properly, you can have a video inspection done to diagnose the issue right away. Catching it quickly prevents worse, costlier problems from occurring.
Slow-Draining Toilets
Are more things that shouldn’t be flushed getting flushed in the summer months? Yep. Kids are notoriously bad when it comes to being aaware of plumbing etiquette inside a home. What can you do about it? Make sure your young ones know that things like wet wipes (even the reusable ones) and paper towels shouldn’t be flushed.
You should also have a good, quality plunger on hand just in case. Always remember that, in the case of a slow-moving drain, don’t use over-the-counter drain cleaners. They cause more damage, eating away at pipes over time. Instead, if your plunger doesn’t do the job, consider a professional drain cleaning service.
No matter the season, Ben Franklin Plumbing has your plumbing needs covered. Whether it’s an emergency or regular maintenance, you can call us for help regarding your home’s plumbing anytime.