Apr8

By Dave Bangar

Preparing Your Plumbing for Kelowna’s Summer Season

With the summer season quickly approaching, anticipation for warm weather and the enjoyment it brings is on everyone’s minds. While this warm weather is great for outside activities, it also brings with it a set of burdens on your home plumbing system. By following steps for summer plumbing preparation, you can avoid spending extra on your monthly water bill while also preventing expensive plumbing emergencies.

My Plumber Kelowna is here to offer expert plumbing services to ensure that your Kelowna home is prepared for all the plumbing challenges that summer brings.

Plumbing Tips for the Summer Season

Season plumbing maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your home plumbing system functioning without problems. This is especially important in the summertime when water usage is at its highest point during the year. Here are the top ways to prepare your plumbing system for the summer season.

Detecting Leaks

Leaks that go undetected in your home plumbing system can end up costing you extra on your monthly water bill and can lead to severe damage to your pipes. The increased water usage in the summertime will also put additional strain on any leaks present.

Before summer begins, go through your house and check for any signs of leaking pipes. Search around your kitchen, bathroom, cabinets, and appliances for any dripping or puddles of water. Put your ears and nose close to your drains and take notice of any dripping sounds or foul odours. You should also be on the lookout for damp spots and mould growth on ceilings and walls.

Decrease in normal water pressure is also an indication that a leak may be present. If you are noticing a drop in the flow pressure of water when you are taking a shower or doing the dishes, use the previously mentioned methods to investigate where the leak may be coming from.

Check Outdoor Faucets and Sprinklers

Summer is a time when sprinklers are running and outdoor faucets are finally being put to use. Before you begin maintaining that beautiful green lawn, it is good practice to check sprinklers and faucets for any signs of damage. If your sprinklers are broken, rusted, cracked, or blocked, first clean the sprinkler heads and if any are still not working, replace them. Remember to also test your sprinklers by turning on one zone at a time and adjust for a desired spread. Setting up an automatic timer for each zone will improve efficiency and reduce wasted water.

Leaks from outdoor faucets, spigots, and sprinklers can drastically increase your monthly water usage and can cause underground flooding. Inspecting your lawn for grass patches that are overly green is a good indication of a hidden leak.

Monitor Water Usage

Average water usage is at its peak during the summer months. More activities take place during the summer which leads your home to see an increase in guests, the warm weather brings with it additional requirements as well. We take more showers, run more loads of laundry, wash more dishes, water plants, and turn on sprinkler systems. It is normal to have higher monthly water bills during this time but if you are seeing a massive spike in your usage, this could mean you have a hidden leak. 

A good method for determining if you have a leak is to run a quick test on your metre. To do this, shutoff your water supply and check your metre for any changes, if it moves quickly then you likely have a fast-moving leak. If it does not move, check back in a few hours, if it has now moved you most likely have a slow-moving leak.

Clear Gutters

Buildup of leftover debris from fall and winter in your gutters can affect the flow of water away from your home. Make sure to clear all gutters before summer to protect your home’s foundation, structure, and to prevent basement flooding. Gutters play a crucial role in moving rain water away from your home and it is essential that they are not blocked by any leaves, twigs, branches, or other debris.

Clean Drains

The added strain of summer activities means an extra necessity for functioning utilities. Buildup of food, waste, and other debris inside your drains can greatly impact the speed that water takes to move through your pipes. This inconvenience affects everyone in your household by making things like showering, cleaning dishes, and running laundry a timely chore. Pipes that are blocked by stronger materials like tree roots can cause even more serious damage like a pipe burst.

Professional drain cleaning can completely clear these clogs and allow you to enjoy your summer free of water backups and plumbing disasters.

Choose My Plumber Kelowna for Your Summer Plumbing Needs

By following these summer preparation tips and relying on expert assistance from My Plumber Kelowna, you can ensure that all your Kelowna plumbing needs are met.

Our comprehensive plumbing services are suited for any issue you may be facing, and with 24/7 emergency response, we are always prepared for an immediate servicing. 

For summer plumbing assistance call us today at 250-601-0000, or contact us online.