Plumbing systems typically get a lot of additional use during the winter simply due to how much more time everyone spends indoors. This increased use puts extra strain on the system and leads to greater wear and tear. That’s why it’s quite common to suddenly experience various plumbing issues in the late winter or spring. Here, we’ll look at some of the issues you should watch out for and how you can prevent and/or overcome them.
Slow Drains and Clogs
Slow drains and clogged fixtures are among the most common plumbing problems and something we all encounter from time to time. These issues typically occur because of carelessness, meaning not watching what goes down the drain in bathroom and kitchen sinks. One easy way to deal with drain issues in the kitchen is to make sure you always scrape off your dishes into the trash before rinsing them. Also, never do any rinsing or washing without a sink strainer in place.
If anyone in your household shaves in the bathroom sink, you should also make sure they use a strainer to catch all of the hair. This will prevent it from getting washed down the drain. Similarly, using a shower strainer is also an easy way to prevent your shower drain from clogging with hair. In terms of kitchen drains, the most important thing is to never pour fat, oil and grease into the sink. If you do, you’re almost certain to eventually end up with major drain and sewer system issues.
Having a professional plumbing company perform a full drain cleaning service every one to two years is also a great way to avoid future drain issues. Hydro jetting is generally the most effective method of drain cleaning as it will eliminate solid materials, fat, scum and even mineral deposits from the entire drain system. It works by spraying a high-pressure jet of water to blast everything away and clean the inside of the drain pipes.
Sewer Backups
Sewer backups are another common problem many people experience in the spring and usually occur due to putting fat and grease down the drain or flushing items other than toilet paper. For instance, if you had guests over during the holidays and they flushed feminine hygiene products or wet wipes, these items will often get stuck in the sewer line.
They then create an obstruction that stops other items like toilet paper and waste from draining away, eventually leading to the line becoming totally clogged. When this happens, everything that goes into the drain system has nowhere to go. It then starts coming back up out of shower and floor drains on the lowest level of the house.
The first step in avoiding sewer issues is just to be extra careful about what goes down your toilets and drains. That said, having your sewer line hydro jetted every year or so is also an excellent preventative measure that helps to avoid sewer issues. Regular sewer camera inspections are beneficial as well for identifying issues like tree root intrusion in the sewer line.
Tree roots are another common cause of clogs and sewer backups, especially in older homes that still have the original cast iron or clay sewer line. If there’s only a small amount of tree roots growing inside a sewer line, hydro jetting can usually fix the problem. If you wait and the roots get much bigger, they can cause major damage and result in you needing to pay for expensive sewer repairs or a full sewer line replacement.
Leaky or Damaged Outdoor Plumbing Fixtures
Another issue you may encounter in the spring is that outdoor plumbing fixtures like hose bibs start leaking when you turn them back on. This sort of issue almost always results from failing to drain the outdoor fixtures after shutting off the water to them. This will result in water inside the fixture freezing and causing the fixture to crack.
As long as only the fixture cracked and not the water line that supplies it, you won’t notice this issue until you go to turn the water back on. Nonetheless, as soon as the water is back on, you’ll usually end up with water leaking out of the part of the fixture inside your basement or crawlspace. That means you’ll have to shut the water back off and then wait to have a plumber drain the pipe and replace the fixture.
Luckily, this sort of issue is easy to avoid as long as you take the necessary steps to winterize your outdoor plumbing before winter arrives. That means shutting off and draining all outdoor plumbing. If you have an underground sprinkler system, you should also have the lines blown out. If not, they’ll likely crack and start majorly leaking when you turn your sprinkler system back on the next year.
Malfunctioning Sump Pump
Like many other places, Oklahoma tends to experience the most rain during the spring. During particularly heavy rains, the soil can get so waterlogged that water begins seeping through a home’s foundation and into the basement or crawlspace. This is why many homes have a sump pump located within a pit in the basement or crawlspace. It works to pump all of the water away from the house to prevent flooding.
The concern is that sump pumps often don’t last for more than five to seven years. A sump pump can also be prone to developing various issues when it sits idle for months over winter that can prevent it from running or pumping effectively enough. That’s why experts recommend always testing your sump pump before spring so you can make sure it still runs and works effectively. If it doesn’t work properly, you’ll then still have plenty of time to get it replaced before the spring rains arrive.
All it takes to test a sump pump is to use a hose or a bucket and fill up the sump pit with enough water that it triggers the float and the pump comes on. If you fill the pit about halfway up with water, the pump typically won’t need to run for more than 30 seconds before it empties the pit and shuts off. If it takes longer than this, you may need to remove the pump from the pit and clean the inlet screen on the bottom of it.
Cleaning the screen may not fix the problem or the pump may be excessively loud. If so, it’s a good sign that it no longer works as well as it’s supposed to and should be replaced. Having a plumber inspect and maintain your sump pump every year is also important. This will ensure you get as much life out of it as you can and it always works when you need it to.
Contact Us Today
American Home Pros is a veteran- and family-owned business providing expert plumbing and HVAC services in Jenks, Collinsville and throughout the Tulsa area. We have a highly skilled team of professional plumbers and are always ready to assist you in any way we can. Whether it’s drain cleaning, fixing a leaky water line or dealing with sewer line issues, you can count on us to provide honest, reliable and prompt service.
