It’s May and spring is in full swing!
Plumbing maintenance is a great addition to your spring cleaning list.
Exterior Home
Cleaning gutters isn’t a commonly favourite chore, but it needs to be done at least every spring. In addition to clearing leaves and debris from your gutters, don’t forget to clean the downspouts. These can get clogs too! A plumber’s auger can be used to clean downspouts to prevent leaks and water damage.
Check for birds’ nests in outdoor vents!
Inspect exterior hose bibs and faucets for signs of wear and tear. Make sure water can run freely. If there is no flow, it could indicate you have a cracked pipe caused by freezing weather. Hosebibs can also be replaced or repaired if they are not functioning adequately.
Basement and Crawlspace
When is the last time you paid attention to your water heater? Spring is a great time for an annual hot water tank flush. Sediment and debris should be flushed at least once a year to protect against corrosion and leaks. Flushing your water heater can add life to your hot water tank merely by performing this simple task. Also check to make sure there are no flammable chemicals or objects stored close to or on top of your tank, and clear any dust in the area.
Furnace filters should be changed twice a year in the fall and spring.
Check the pipes in your basement and crawlspace for signs of leaks. Turn your main water valves to make sure they move to open and close easily. Water valves can seize from lack of use so perform this check each year. When you have an emergency and the water needs to be turned off quickly, and the last thing you want is a shut-off valve that won’t move!
Interior Home
Check under your kitchen and bathroom sinks for leaks. Supply hoses for the dishwasher and washing machine should be looked at for wear and age as well. It is better to change an aging supply hose before it causes a problem than to find that your laundry room has flooded because the hose burst while you were away.
Test your toilet for leaks by putting a couple of drops of green or blue food colouring in the tank and wait about 20 minutes. (Don’t flush.) If the water in the bowl becomes coloured of coloured water drips down the tank or bowl, your toilet is leaking.
What can go down the drains in and around your home?
Your home has sink drains, floor drains, bathtub drains, laundry drains and storm drains. Read more for tips to avoid clogs and over flowing drains.
Ensure all drains have a mesh screen over them to catch any debris, such as hair, food scraps, dirt, lint, etc.
Kitchen: Always scrape your dishes into the green bin or compost before rinsing, then put them in the dishwasher or wash them in the sink. Remember to run your dishwasher only when you have a full load for maximum efficiency and energy savings.
Bathroom: Brush your hair right before a shower to ensure you are getting out as much loose hair as possible, but do not flush it. When it comes to pets, try to wash them outside when the weather is warm to avoid excess hair in your drains. If you can’t wait, try investing in a wash tub for your furry friend!
Invest in a quality auger or plunger. If draining doesn’t go your way, avoid chemical plumbers and call a real one! Liquid drain clearing solutions aren’t as great as you would assume, as the corrosive chemical products will eat your pipes and your plumber’s hands.
The things that you probably wouldn’t want in your own drinking water or ocean should never be put down the drain. This includes nail polishes, bleach and other strong household cleaners, anti-freeze and motor oil, and even cosmetics and perfume.
To keep drains in good working order, pour a good amount of hot water down the drains, especially your rarely used ones, to ensure that they are in good working order when the time comes for use!
DIY: How To Unclog Your Toilet
Nobody wants a clogged toilet in their home or business. Luckily a toilet clog can usually be cleared using the easy tips below.
Tools required:
Plunger (flange or ball type, not the cup type which is used for bathtubs)
Toilet auger
Instructions:
- Don’t try to flush the toilet. It’s tempting to consider that perhaps by some miracle the toilet will unclog itself, but more often than not, this isn’t the case.
- Grab your plunger and slowly push it into the water to the bottom of the bowl. Fit the plunger around the water drain (hole) at the bottom of the bowl and push the handle up and down rapidly until you feel the stoppage release or see the water level drop in the toilet.
- Don’t flush the toilet yet. Remove the lid from the tank portion and very slowly lift the flapper seal at the bottom of the tank to allow some water to enter the toilet bowl. Be careful not to lift it all the way though as this will cause the toilet to flush. If the water in the toilet bowl leaves the bowl easily then your job is done! If not, move to step 4.
- Turn off the water supply to your toilet.
- Making sure the auger cable is fully retracted into the handle, put the auger into your toilet so that the curved part where the cable comes out of the handle is facing in the same direction that the toilet drains- either the front or back of the toilet bowl.
- Advance the auger cable into the toilet drain by cranking with gentle pressure until you feel the cable tighten or the handle stops turning as you’ve likely located the stoppage.
- Quickly crank the auger to break the stoppage up. If you get to a point where you can’t crank it anymore, crank in the reverse direction. Continue cranking until the auger cable has been inserted all the way. Be careful not to be forceful as it may damage your toilet and cause a bigger problem!
- When the stoppage has broken up and you’re able to run the entire auger cable into the toilet, remove the auger and plunge the toilet again.
- Don’t flush the toilet yet. Repeat Step 3 first. If the water leaves the bowl easily, then try flushing the toilet to see what happens.
- If your toilet flushes normally, turn the water supply back on then clean your toilet auger outside to avoid contamination. You can spray the cable with a lubricant like WD40 to get rid of remaining water/moisture after it has been cleaned to extend the life of your cables. Finally, hang it by the handle in a warm place to dry.
SPECIAL NOTE: If your toilet still won’t flush after you’ve used the hand auger, this means that the blockage is further down the pipe and will require some advanced tools & techniques to clear. Call the plumbing professionals at Plumbing & Drain Rescue to bail you out! 604-628-3333
