As fall approaches, you should carry out multiple tasks to prepare your property for the onset of colder weather. Sweater weather is right around the corner, so you should get your plumbing ready for the cooler temperatures of the season. Some of these tasks are simple and can be performed on your own, while others will require the help of a qualified professional.
Check Your Property for Leaks
One of the easiest autumn tasks that you can do in preparation of the arrival of fall is to check your indoor and outdoor faucets and pipes for leaks. Even if a discovered leak appears to be minor, it could still cause you major problems in the future, especially when colder weather comes to call. At minimum, a leak will increase your water bill; at maximum, a leak can lead to significant property damage if it causes water to flow into your interior.
Put Insulation Around Your Pipes
Once you’ve determined that your pipes and faucets aren’t leaking, then you should protect them by placing foam insulation around them. Placing foam insulation around pipes and faucets in non-heated areas before fall arrives will help to keep your pipes from freezing in colder temperatures later. Don’t forget to check older pipe insulation as these foam tubes can become worn and damaged over time.
Seal Pipe Gaps
Another simple task that you can do to prepare your plumbing for fall is to seal the gaps that can form over time between your pipes and their entry holes. These pipe gaps in your walls and crawl spaces can cause your pipes to freeze; they can also let cold air into your interior, which can raise your energy bill. Caulking, weather stripping, and foam insulation are tools that you can use to protect your pipes and home from the colder air of fall and beyond.
Take Care of Your Outdoor Hoses
Before cooler weather hits your area, you should disconnect and drain all of your outdoor hoses. Failure to do so before temperatures drop below freezing can result in your hoses bursting as any water trapped within them expands. If these hoses are still attached to outdoor faucets when the freezing occurs, then any connected faucets and nearby pipes could freeze and burst as well. Don’t forget to neatly roll up your hoses and store them in a dry, secure area during the cold months.
Clear All Gutters and Downspouts
Another important part of your home’s drainage system is its gutters, which can become clogged by leaves, dirt, and other forms of debris. If you don’t clean out your gutters and downspouts, then they could become clogged, leading to rooftop, foundation, and general home damage. In freezing weather, wet leaves and backed-up water can freeze, causing further problems to your drainage system and, ultimately, your home. If you have a lot of trees near your house, then you may have to clean out your gutters multiple times during the autumn. This is in order to address the large amount of leaves that will fall on your property.
Have Your Sewer Lines Tested
Any blockages in your sewer lines will likely worsen during cold weather, so having your sewer lines inspected by a professional would be a wise decision. A professional plumber will be able to check out your sewer lines and make sure that they contain no exposed pipes, damaged areas, or insufficient insulation. Failure to prepare your sewer lines before cooler weather sets in could result in burst pipes and serious leaks. So you should tend to them before the start of the cool season.
Get Your Water Heater Flushed
Having your water heater flushed by a plumber is another sensible course of action that you can take to prepare your plumbing for fall. Water heaters have to work harder to heat water in cooler weather. Therefore, you should have your heater flushed to prepare it for this additional amount of work that it’ll need to do. A competent professional will also be able to inspect your system for trouble and repair any water heater problems. If you don’t have your water heater serviced before fall, then you could end up losing your hot water during the cold months when it’s the most important.
Care for Your Sump Pump
As you leave the dry weather of summer behind, you’ll likely be entering a wetter period in the fall. If you have a sump pump installed to keep water out of your basement, then you need to make sure that it’s fully functional before the heavy rains come. Once you’ve determined that your sump pump is working properly, then you should insulate it in order to protect it from colder temperatures.
Turn Off the Shut-Off Valve of Your Outdoor Faucet
If your outdoor faucets have shut-off valves in crawl spaces or your basement, you need to remember to close these valves before cold weather hits. Shutting off these valves will enable you to drain water in the pipes to your outdoor spigots and prevent more water from entering them. Forgetting to care for your shut-off valves before freezing temperatures set in can lead to burst pipes and damaged outdoor plumbing fixtures.
Don’t Forget About Your Outdoor Irrigation System
As the summer comes to a close, you should remember to prepare your outdoor irrigation system for cooler weather as well. Depending on your seasonal weather, you might not want to completely shut down your irrigation system yet, but you can still begin the process of winterizing your pipes. If you anticipate freezing weather arriving early in the fall, you should turn off the system’s main valve and drain any excess water out of the irrigation system.
Schedule a Maintenance Checkup
While you can check out some of your plumbing system on your own, nothing beats the keen, experienced eyes of a seasoned plumber. You should set up a maintenance inspection on your plumbing equipment so that you can have confidence that your system will be ready to face the elements during colder weather. A professional will likely be able to spot and repair plumbing problems that you’ve missed and help you prepare your premises for fall and beyond.
Excellent Plumbing Services in Metuchen, NJ
At First Choice Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we excel at providing the people of Metuchen, NJ and its surrounding areas with high-quality plumbing services. Whether you need us to fix your pipes, install a water heater, or repair your sewer, you can count on us to handle your plumbing issue. We’re also capable of taking care of your heating system. Whether you want us to repair, install, or maintain your heater, boiler, or furnace, you can trust us to give you top-grade service.
We can also install, fix, or maintain your air conditioner. Another service we perform for our customers is to install an air purifier to boost air quality. For those who want help keeping their heating and cooling equipment running efficiently, we offer scheduled routine maintenance packages.
Contact us today if you’re interested in learning more about the ways that we can help you with your HVAC and plumbing needs.
