Mar6

By Dave Bangar

The Most Common Plumbing Problems That Arise in the Spring

Reading Time: 3 minutes

How to Prevent a Plumbing Disaster When Spring Arrives

Springtime is a time to rejoice and celebrate the warmer weather and melting snow. But for Kelowna homeowners, spring can also bring a long list of plumbing issues.

While most of these issues can easily be resolved by working with an experienced Kelowna plumber, it’s important to understand what kinds of plumbing issues are common in the spring. This will help you anticipate any issues and be proactive to help prevent them from recurring every year.

In this article, we will list the most common plumbing problems that occur in Kelowna during the springtime and why they happen so you can be fully prepared when the warmer weather arrives.

Why Plumbing Issues Happen in the Spring

During the winter months when temperatures drop, this can cause your pipes to freeze and develop small cracks. When the weather gets warmer and everything starts to thaw, your pipes can expand along with the cracks that have already formed. 

Heavy rain that typically occurs in the Okanagan during the springtime can also cause flooding and put a strain on your pipes that connect to the sewer system, causing numerous issues that are explained further below. 

4 Springtime Plumbing Issues 

Below, we have listed some of the most common plumbing issues we see in Kelowna homes come spring.

Leaking Pipes

Cold winter weather can wreak havoc on your plumbing. As previously mentioned, when proper precautions are not taken, your pipes can freeze, causing them to crack and even burst. When this happens, it may not be as noticeable right away, but when spring arrives, your pipes will start to leak, causing water damage, low water pressure, and higher water bills

Clogs

Clogs are incredibly common during the winter months in homes that host lots of holiday gatherings. When cleaning up after a big family dinner, many homeowners end up pouring leftover grease and food residue down the drain, which can build up throughout the season and cause problems come spring. 

Sump Pump Issues

Sump pump issues are typically caused by poor maintenance and can happen any time of year. However, sump pumps that have not been maintained properly are most likely to malfunction during the spring months. The reason for this is that when the snow starts to melt and rainfall increases, your sump pump has to work harder to keep up and pump out all of the excess water. If your sump pump wasn’t properly maintained, it can malfunction due to the extra strain.

Water Heater Issues

Just like with sump sumps, water heaters tend to develop issues and malfunction in early spring. The reason for this is that water heaters have to work harder during the winter because there is more of a demand for hot water when the weather is cold. If your water heater is old and has any undiagnosed issues, one spring comes around it is more likely to fail and need costly repairs or replacing

How to Prevent Spring Plumbing Issues

Spring plumbing issues can be incredibly costly to fix and cause extensive damage to your home. Fortunately, with a bit of preparation, you can help prevent a major disaster. 

Here are a few steps you can take at the end of the winter to prevent plumbing issues from arising:

• Clean and test your sump pump
• Install a backup sump pump or test your existing backup
• Check for leaks in your pipes
• Leave your taps on overnight when the weather gets very cold to prevent pipes from freezing
• Be careful with what you put down your drain
• Regularly check to make sure your toilets are flushing properly

What to Do When Spring Plumbing Issues Occur

If you suspect you have a burst, clogged or leaking pipe, or any other plumbing issue in your Kelowna home or business, get in touch with a licensed Kelowna-based plumber immediately.

At My Plumber Kelowna, we have a team of licensed, trained, and highly experienced plumbers who can diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve your plumbing issues any time of day.

Call us today at 250-601-0000 or fill out a form on our website and we will be in touch ASAP.