The weather heating up outside means your plumbing is about to take a beating! You may not realize it, but water usage tends to increase exponentially during the summer months. Your plumbing needs to be able to endure the summer demands. These include people drinking more water, showering more frequently, or maintaining a nice refreshing pool outside. Taking a bit of time to prevent incoming plumbing issues with these 4 summer plumbing hacks will save you both time and money in the long run!
Maintain Your Water Heater Now
It seems counter-intuitive to worry about your water heater during a season when you won’t use it as much, but that’s what makes maintaining your water heater over the summer such a good idea! This plumbing hack capitalizes on the fact you’ll likely be using less hot water and therefore won’t miss it too much should your water heater be out of commission for a few hours. Maintaining your water heater includes:
- Visually inspecting the exterior for any corrosion or cracking.
- Checking to ensure all the hoses are in good condition.
- Having your professional Sin City Plumber complete a flush.
You’ll be grateful you followed this plumbing hack once the summer winds down!
Expect At Least One Clog
With bolstered hydration comes bolstered bathroom practices. With family and friends indulging in warm-weather activities like cookouts and cocktail hours, you can expect your bathroom to see plenty of use. It’s prevalent for your toilet to clog more frequently during the summer months. To prepare for an oncoming clog, make sure you’ve purchased at least one plunger per bathroom in your home. Have a plumber at the ready in case you can’t handle the clog yourself. If a snake is needed, they’ll be able to help you out!
Clean Out Your Drains
Can you imagine anything worse than a stinky sink on a hot summer day? It’s hard to think of a more unpleasant odor! Heat causes bacterial decay to speed up, so any goop stuck in your drains will have a significantly worse smell over the summer. Have a professional snake your drains before the outside temps get hot. Ensure to avoid putting anything down the drain that doesn’t belong there, so you don’t need to do this gross chore more often than necessary.
Soak or Replace Your Shower Head
The comfort of coming in from a hot day outside and taking a cool shower is immediately ruined if your water pressure is subpar. Many things can cause a loss of water pressure, but one of the most common reasons you get a weaker shower is mineral buildup in the showerhead. If you don’t have a water softener installed, the hard water flowing through your shower head is going to eventually leave enough deposits to close up some of the holes. Without water being able to come through every exit, your shower won’t have the same oomph as it once did. To clean this buildup off:
- Take your showerhead entirely off.
- Soak the entire component in a plastic bag filled with vinegar for about two hours.
- After it’s soaked, rinse it thoroughly and reinstall.
- Apply the plumber’s tape to the threading, so it doesn’t leak or, better yet, call a Sin City Plumber to do it for you!
For more common plumbing and other related tips, please contact Sin City Plumbing.
