Fall arrives in Camp Verde, AZ, and now is the perfect time to go through a checklist of plumbing maintenance tasks. You can take several steps to ensure that your system is efficient and safe. Not to mention, this can prevent major issues from occurring that could result in water damage. Let’s review together Goettl's High Desert Mechanical fall plumbing maintenance checklist for your Camp Verde home.
Checking for Water Leaks
Take a walk through your home this fall to look for any pooling water or leaks that may be present. You’ll want to look inside vanities, under sinks, behind toilets, and in your basement. Inspect any pipes that you can see. Check for dripping water, rust, or water stains. The area may not be currently moist, but that could be because water isn’t flowing through that pipe.
Call our team of plumbers immediately if you notice any signs of a water leak. A minor leak doesn’t take long to become a major problem. Leaks can lead to water damage, wood rot, and mold growth.
Clean Your Faucets and Fixtures
Faucets and fixtures usually develop mineral deposits over time because of hard water. This is a great time to clean them so they continue operating normally. Simply fill a small plastic bag with equal parts water and vinegar. Use a rubber band to attach the bag around the fixture you’re cleaning. Let it soak for a few hours before removing the bag and rinsing the fixture clean.
Assess Drainage
Run water through each drain in your home to ensure normal drainage time. If anything seems to have slowed down, you may have a clog forming. Make sure to let us address clogs early on. This can help you avoid your drain backing up and causing a major mess and inconvenience.
Service Your Water Heater
Now that the temperature outside will drop slightly, you may rely more on hot water. To ensure that you have a consistently warm and reliable shower experience, it’s very important to schedule a fall inspection of your water heater by one of our qualified plumbers. This includes draining the tank to flush out any sediment or mineral deposits that are present. We recommend having our team complete this process so we can inspect things like your anode rod, connections, etc. We can make repairs as needed.
Test Your Sump Pump
Your sump pump is a vital part of your home that helps keep water out of your basement. You can open your sump pit and pour water inside to ensure the pump turns on when it hits a certain level. To ensure that your basement and home will stay dry this fall and winter, consider having us install a battery backup sump pump. If your current unit malfunctions or the power goes out, your backup pump will take over. This will prevent you from having to quickly find a bucket or shop vac to remove water from your basement in case of an emergency.
Inspecting Your Septic System
If you have a septic system at your place, make sure to have it checked by a professional for any signs of damage or roots growing where they shouldn’t be. Roots love to wrap around water pipes and poke holes in them. If any kind of repair needs to be made, now is the perfect time to do so when the ground is soft.
Your septic tank may be approaching full, and you should have it pumped clean before winter.
Don’t Forget About Your Garbage Disposal
Many people forget that their garbage disposal is a key part of their home’s plumbing system and requires some maintenance. Use a flashlight to look inside your drain to see if any debris is stuck in your disposal or its blades. If you need to remove anything, make sure your disposal is unplugged.
Rinse your garbage disposal with plenty of cold water. You can also use vinegar to help freshen the drain’s smell. Grab a few ice cubes and throw them inside the garbage disposal. This helps to sharpen the blades.
Address Outdoor Plumbing
If you won’t be using your outdoor hoses in the fall or winter, drain them and put them away for the time being. This can help protect the integrity of the equipment so it’s ready to go in the spring. You can also turn off the water to your outdoor spigots.
If you have a sprinkler system, you will want to have this system drained and flushed. This prevents damage from occurring during the fall and winter months.
Inspect Gutters and Downspouts
Look at your gutters and downspouts to ensure they are clear of debris. If leaves and other materials have accumulated, they should be removed. This allows water to flow through these areas during the fall and winter, so you don’t experience any water backup in your yard or around your foundation.
Fill Your Water Softener
Since you’re already checking the rest of your home’s plumbing system, address your water softener if you have one. These units use salt pellets made for this purpose. The amount of water you use in your home each day will determine how often you need to fill your main reservoir, but most will need to refill it every few months.
Change Drinking Water Filters
If you have a drinking water system installed in your home, consider upgrading your filters if it’s been a while. You may not need to replace all the filters at once. Some units require more frequent changes for the pre-filter, which removes a good deal of sediment before the other filters are put to work.
Make sure that you reset the filter countdown on your unit. Most drinking water systems will beep or light up when it’s time to change the filter. Some units even indicate which filter or filters need to be changed.
If you have a reverse osmosis drinking water system, you may want to flush out your system. This type of unit has a collection tank that holds treated water. Flush your tank yearly or whenever you change the filters.
Insulate Your Pipes
Adding insulation around your pipes can help save money and increase the availability of hot water in your home. You can choose foam sleeves that fit right over the pipes, material that wraps around the pipes, and more. This reduces heat loss in the area around the pipes, making it essential in areas like your basement and attic.
Goettl's High Desert Mechanical Plumbers Are Here To Help
For more information on fall plumbing maintenance for your Camp Verde home, reach out to the team here at Goettl's High Desert Mechanical. In addition to the maintenance tasks you can do yourself, we would be happy to provide an inspection of your plumbing system and additional maintenance. We also install, repair, and maintain your heating and cooling units. We offer repiping, hydrojetting, clog removal, water softener repair, and much more.
Contact Goettl's High Desert Mechanical today to schedule an appointment to inspect your home’s plumbing system.
