Take a look at our essential plumbing tips

Springtime is here, and if you are looking for ways to protect the integrity of your plumbing over the coming months, we have got you covered. Let’s take a look at some of the key things you need to check if you want to get your plumbing spring and summer-ready right now.

Check your external pipes

Winter is somewhat synonymous with frozen pipes, but springtime can cause problems in this area too. Your pipes can shrink during cold weather, but they start to expand a little when the weather warms up. This can cause cracks and therefore leaks. If you do spot a few tiny cracks whilst examining your pipes, get in touch with a plumber before they worsen.

Clean out your drains and gutters

Take a look at your drains to see if they are blocked. If they are blocked heavily, you might need to speak to a specialist. If the blockage isn’t too severe, you can clear them with baking soda and vinegar before flushing them with a hose. Spring rain can result in gutter blockages if they have a substantial amount of leaves and debris in them, so have these looked at too.

Clean your yard

A great deal of debris alongside leaves and grass can build up in your yard over the winter and end up blocking your drains. By clearing your yard of these, you can prevent this from occurring. This will help water from your yard to drain more easily and minimise problems with puddles and water damage.

Check your taps

Check all of the taps on your property to see if they are running properly. Wait a while to see if there are air pockets as these can occur when taps haven’t been used for some time. If taps are still running slowly after a few minutes, you could have low water pressure and a leak.

Be vigilant for sweating pipes

Pipes often sweat during the warmer months of the year. If there is excess water on the outside of your pipes, you may be experiencing water waste. This can have a very negative impact on your bills. This problem can be prevented if you wrap your pipes up in something warm or insulate them.

Look for water intrusions

Some leaks aren’t detected for a long time. Water intrusion problems often happen in the spring after freezing drips start to thaw. You may have a water intrusion if you have noted water spots around your home, puddles or an unpleasant musty smell.

Clean your shower

Minerals may have built up on your shower over the winter. However, you can remove these by filling a small bag with vinegar. You can then leave this attached to your shower head overnight. When you wake up, remove the hard water stains with a brush.