Plumbing Tips: Getting Ready for the Colder Weather

In Poughkeepsie, NY, it is important to have your plumbing ready for the coldest months of the year.  If you need your plumbing serviced, early fall is the best time to get everything inspected and have some preventative maintenance done before the freezing weather starts.

Get Your Plumbing System Ready for Cold Weather:

• Check all your faucets. Don’t forget the faucets outside!  Any leaks can cause pipes to break in the chilly winter months.  Check your faucets in the fall and having them serviced if needed is much easier than checking them after there is snow on the ground.
• Check your water pressure. You can even find pressure gauges for sale that allow you to check your water pressure regularly.  You may have a leak if the pressure is low and keeps decreasing.
• Clean out your drains and make sure your drain strainers still fit well. Test the time that it takes water to wash down the drain.  If you have a slow drain, you may need drain cleaning services before winter!
• Check to make sure your water heater works efficiently and produces the amount of hot water you regularly need. Consider having your water heater flushed annually, so that it is at maximum efficiency during the colder months of the year.
• Examine the areas in your home that have plumbing or pipes and are not heated well. This type of space could be a basement, shop, or garage.  You may need to insulate these areas or at least the plumbing in these areas.  Check your whole home for drafts around your windows and doors.  When you have drafty spaces in your home, there is a higher likelihood that your pipes can freeze in the winter.
• Check all the pipes and fixtures in your home to make sure that there aren’t unusual colors, leaks, or shifts in the pipes. If you need repair services, have them done right away so that you have everything ready for the cold evenings in the fall and winter!