Since the Groundhog has predicted an early spring, many of us are starting to think about our spring cleaning to-do lists. Those are the lists that can get pretty exhaustive, depending on things like how big the garden is, how much landscaping we plan to do, and how much we stored during the winter and have completely forgotten what is in each box.
March is a great time to get some things done before the spring cleaning tasks, because the weather is mild enough to be working on certain projects that don’t require a whole lot of outside time. One of the most important maintenance tasks that you can do in the month of March is plumbing maintenance.
Here are some plumbing maintenance tips that you can do this month:
- Check the outside hose bibs around your home to make sure they aren’t damaged or clogged. It isn’t unusual for these spigots to get clogged with ice during a cold snap, and then collect things like leaves, twigs, debris. Make sure that the hose bibs are completely clear of any blockages, and that the water runs freely without a problem. Check around the spigot for signs of leaks before you turn the water on.
- If there are drains in the bathrooms that you haven’t used much over the winter (i.e., guest bathrooms, rental properties that are vacant, etc.) pour a gallon of water into the drains (sink, shower, bathtub) to ensure that the p-trap is full. This will prevent any sewer gasses from escaping and causing the home to rill with sewage smell.
- Flush the toilets in any bathrooms that you haven’t used in the last few months to make sure that the toilet is working properly. Check the seal around the base of the toilet to make sure there aren’t pieces missing, and the seal is in good shape for the coming months.
March plumbing maintenance is a great way to ensure that your plumbing system is ready for the warm weather months, when you use it more for outdoor watering and water play. The winter months can be harsh on your plumbing system, so using this month to do some maintenance is a good way to ensure that any damage that was done in the winter doesn’t escalate to something major.