Five Serious Summer Plumbing Problems You Can Avoid

The first official week of summer is upon us and it’s time for all the fun the season brings; cookouts, swimming pools, cold ice-cream, vacations, lots of time outdoors and much more. Unfortunately, all of this summertime fun can lead to some not so fun issues with your plumbing. Here’s a list of five common summer plumbing problems and ways you can avoid them.

1. Washing Machine Overload

With all of the extra time, you and your family will be spending outdoors, your clothes will get dirtier and you’ll likely be changing your outfits faster than normal. This means that your poor washing machine will be working overtime during the summer months, which can lead to some serious issues.

• Check your machines hose for any signs of damage. Keep in mind that your hose should be replaced every three years or so, to avoid more expensive maintenance issues.
• Make sure your washing machine is about four inches or more away from the wall, to prevent any new damage or kinking of your hose.
• Try to only run your washing machine when you are home so you can stop your machine if it starts acting up.

2. Over Feeding Your Disposal

After a long cold winter, BBQ season has finally arrived and you’re loading up on lots of grilled yummy foods, just be careful about what foods you feed your garbage disposal.

• Remember your disposal isn’t meant to handle everything, some foods should just be pitched.
• Avoid putting food items like corn cobs, potatoes, watermelon rinds, chicken or other bones in your disposal.
• Additionally, shoving too much food into your disposal too fast may damage or break your disposal.
• Keep in mind that portion control could save you a lot of stress and money during this summer’s cookouts.

3. Sweaty Ductwork

The warming weather brings more humidity with it, which can cause your ducts to “sweat” from the extra condensation, which can lead to long-term issues if the extra water can’t drain properly.

• Check to make sure all of your drains are clean and water can flow through freely.
• Check the drain pan, if you have attic installation, and make sure there isn’t water building up in the drain pan.

4. Clogged Toilets

People tend to use the toilet more during the summer months. Some toilets may have difficulty dealing with the extra workload.

• Consider using less paper when you can.
• Explain to young children that they only need to flush when they actually use the bathroom. Freshly potty-trained children tend to over flush.

5. Water Works

Summer means lots of time in the water. Whether you’re kicking back next to the pool, running through the sprinklers, watering your lawn or filling up water balloons, you’ll want to ensure that the water keeps flowing.

• Check your embedded sprinkler and make sure the heads are clear and be careful not to run them over while mowing.
• Keep your pool’s filter clean and keep an eye out for leaks on aboveground pools.
• Replace leaking hoses, to keep your water bill under control.

If you’re still concerned about the condition of your pipes or have other plumbing concerns and you would like an inspection from a local plumbing professional, you can schedule an appointment online or give Tiger Plumbing Services a call today at 1-866-TIGER70.

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