For residents in Las Vegas, fall brings blessed relief from some of the more scorching summer heatwaves. The weather in fall itself is probably the mildest and most pleasant, excepting spring, of the year. This makes it the perfect time to undertake maintenance and home improvement work before the winter draws in. These fall plumbing tips will help you to prepare your home for the winter and avoid any costly, time-consuming, and damaging break-downs.
1) Clear Up Hoses and Sprinklers
It’s unlikely that Las Vegas will get a real cold snap as temperatures fall below freezing just 8 days per year in this area. Nonetheless, it pays to be prepared; draining and tidying away your sprinklers and hoses is a good start. Removing the hoses from their spigots will prevent frozen water from expanding within them and bursting pipes in the near vicinity. You should also check faucets in your home for leaks and have them repaired by a professional company.
2) Get Your Water Heater Running Smoothly
A drop in temperatures means a break for your AC and an increased workload for your water heater. This means you need to ensure it’s up to the work. If it hasn’t already, you should ensure it gets its yearly maintenance service for optimal performance. Even if it has, however, flushing the system is a great way to make sure that it’s ready to take on the winter season. It would also be wise to set the temperature at 120 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that it doesn’t have to work hard to get the water to an ideal temperature. Finally, ask yourself if you might need a new heater. Water heaters typically have a lifespan of 8 to 12 years.
3) Insulate Your Pipes
As you know, it doesn’t often get cold in Nevada but insulating your pipes is about so much more than the cold. Insulating your pipes will not only protect them from the odd cold snap, but it will retain the heat produced by your water heater to increase energy efficiency (a small side benefit).
4) Snake the Sewer Line
A proactive approach to the sewer line can save you a lot of time and sticky (smelly) problems as well as the stress and cost they induce. Fall is the perfect time to undertake such work as it is a mild season where the most scalding extremes of the sun are kept at bay. Furthermore, the trees are dormant at this time of year so you will have ample opportunity to clear out the roots that have grown in.
5) Check Your Sump Pump
The sump pump is one of the most important components of your home plumbing. This is why the last of our fall plumbing tips is to make sure that yours is in good working order. Of course, flooding isn’t a huge concern in Las Vegas, but fall is the best time to check that your sump pump is working. If your pump is making strange noises, or if it vibrates too much, then you may need to have someone look at it.
Plumbing is the arterial system of your home. Take care of it this fall to ensure you have a stress free winter. Be sure to contact a professional plumbing company like Rebel Refrigeration to get your plumbing system running smoothly and in tip-top shape. Contact us at (702) 766-9436 or email us to schedule an appointment today!