The official first day of Fall has passed and now is the perfect time to prepare for the rainy and cold season here in Olympia and the surrounding areas. Every year, our plumbing pros tend to hundreds of homes with plumbing mishaps, many of which could have been avoided with a little maintenance. Do yourself and your home a favor — act on these quick tips and enjoy a leak-free fall and winter.
Remove Outdoor Water Hoses
Our number one, most important fall plumbing tip is to simply disconnect your outdoor water hoses from your hose bibs. If left connected, water in the hoses may freeze and expand causing faucets and connecting pipes inside your home to freeze and break.
Repair and Protect Outdoor Hose Bibs
Now is also the time to repair any leaking outdoor faucets you may have. Make the necessary repairs yourself or call us to give you a hand before the freezing temperatures arrive.
Give those bibs some added security with the installation of a styrofoam insulation kit.
Maintain your water heater
During colder weather your water heater works harder to get water up to the desired temperature. Annual maintenance (the flushing of sediment and build up in the bottom of the tank) is key to extend the life of your water heater and to help it run optimally.
Know Where Your Main Shut Off Valve Is
This isn’t just a fall tip – we highly recommend everyone in the home knows where the main valve is in case of an emergency. Take a minute to educate your entire household where the valve is and how to shut if off in case a pipe develops a leak.
Protect your outdoor faucets this fall by disconnecting the garden hoses.
For help preparing your home’s plumbing for cooler temperatures, give us a call at 360-754-9670 or book an appointment online.
We have been proudly serving homeowners, landlords, property management companies and realtors in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Dupont, and Tenino for over 30 years.