Plumbing Maintenance: Summer Shut Down & Fall Checklist
Fall 2019 has arrived right on time in Ottawa this year; change is in the air! This season gives everyone time to complete all the necessary preparations needed for the upcoming winter months, including shutting down your outdoor faucets and inspecting your home for plumbing maintenance. The weather is unpredictable, and John the Plumber feels it’s important that you have this checklist sooner than later to avoid hazards such as frozen pipes and expensive water damage.
Outdoor Faucet Drainage:
Start by disconnecting all of your outdoor hoses, sprinklers, water play pads etc., and drain them of any residual water. Pack these items up and store them in a dry spot where they will be out of winter’s way. Then go inside to your main valve, look for the attached individual shut off valve(s) that lead to any outdoor faucets and turn them off. Next, head outside and turn the outdoor faucet(s) on, you will see the residual water drain out.
TIP: Sometimes the valves you are looking for are found in the ceiling of the basement!
Inspection, Repairs & Insulation:
Once you have completed shutting down the outdoor faucets, of the best things you can do is to go back down to the basement and inspect any and all of the pipes that are exposed. Tighten any valves that you feel could use it and look for any leaks that need to be repaired.
Ottawa is notorious for bad weather; pipes can freeze very easily here. The ones that run on exterior walls or ones that runs outdoor taps are naturally the first ones to become frozen. If your home is poorly insulated it is quite possible you may be headed for trouble. Even with insurance your deductible can be high; providing extra insulation for certain pipes prior to the frost setting in is key in preventing this type of disaster from happening.
TIP: For further information on insulation, check out John’s Blog “Don’t Let The Pipes Freeze!”
Equipment Maintenance Checks:
Your Hot Water Tank and Sump Pump are two pieces of plumbing equipment in your home that you definitely want to inspect and maintain. Heavy rainfall is common in Ottawa; couple that with thawing and a sump pump can be overwhelmed fairly quickly, causing your basement to flood. Ensuring that your sump pump and weeping tile are maintained on a regular basis will help keep the pump running at an optimal level, and prevent what could be extensive (and possibly very expensive) damage. In terms of your hot water tank, sediment can build inside the tank, so it’s good to drain and refill your water heater every year.
TIP: It not the temperature of the water you want to check on your water tank, it’s the mixing valve!
To discover more on the full range of services offered by our Ottawa-based John the Plumber, please call our offices today at 613-227-7465 or visit our business website at johntheplumber.ca
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