Spring Maintenance

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.

clean your gutters and downspouts

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.

yearly tank flush

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.

toilet tank leaking

maintenance plumbers

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Furnace Tips

Furnace Tips

Do you service your furnace every year? Read below for more home furnace tips.

Did you know that in order to maximize your furnace’s efficiency, it should be cleaned every year? Like any service, there is a cost associated with having a technician clean your furnace, but it is incomparable to the cost of having an emergency serviceman dispatched on a cold winter’s night. Get your furnace serviced in the spring or summer to avoid running into an issue when you need heat in colder months.

Furnaces can be as high as 98% efficient. There are many benefits to having a high efficiency furnace installed in your home. High efficiency furnaces can save hundreds of dollars a year in heating costs. A furnace with an efficiency of 89% or higher can typically deliver heating savings of 20% to 35% more when compared to old furnaces in the 60% AFUE range. This range is typical of furnaces from 1970 and earlier.

You can offset the cost of having your high efficiency furnace installed and ensure that you keep your heating bills lower by servicing your furnace every year. In the long run, your furnace will have paid for itself in energy savings and you will be helping the environment too.

Do yourself, your furnace and the environment a favor, and have your furnace serviced today!

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