With winter behind us and spring in full swing, it’s important to consider preparing your pipes for the season ahead. Your home’s plumbing system is a crucial component of your property’s overall functionality, and ensuring that it’s in good working order is essential to avoid any potential issues down the line. By taking the necessary steps to prep your pipes for spring, you can rest easy knowing that your plumbing is in top shape and your property is protected. Read on to discover tips for prepping your pipes and learn about the benefits of enlisting the help of a professional plumber to save you money and provide peace of mind.

Discover the Benefits of Properly Prepping Your Pipes for Spring: Protect Your Home and Save Money with These Essential Tips

With the winter season ending and warmer spring days arriving, preparing your home for these seasonal changes is crucial. As we mentioned above, one of the most crucial aspects of home maintenance during this transition is ensuring that your pipes are fully ready for the upcoming season. Properly preparing your home’s pipes for spring will help you avoid costly and damaging plumbing issues. Here are some reasons why it’s critical to prepare your home’s pipes for spring:

Preventing Water Damage

Springtime brings thawing snow and ice, which results in an increase in water flow. This can easily put additional stress on your home’s pipes. If the pipes have not been prepared for this increase in water flow, there is a significant chance that it will lead to problems such as leaks, bursts, and water damage to your home and property.

Ensuring Proper Functioning

Spring is when you start to use more water outdoors for various activities, including gardening, washing your car, or filling up a pool. That’s why it’s critical to ensure that your pipes are in top condition and functioning correctly to handle the demand for the amount of water you will be using. Preparing your lines for spring helps ensure they will deliver water properly without any issues such as leaks, low water pressure, or clogs.

Saving Money

One of the many things homeowners like yourself want to do is save money, and unfortunately, when not taken care of properly, your pipes can cost you a fortune. Addressing any potential issues, big or small, with your pipes during the springtime is guaranteed to save you money in the long run.

Identifying and addressing problems early on will prevent them from turning into major issues and, in turn, force you to pay for costly repairs or complete replacements. Regular maintenance and preparation of your pipes can also improve their efficiency, leading to lower water bills.

Protecting Your Home

Water damage caused by burst pipes or leaks is almost guaranteed to lead to structural damage to your home, including:

• Walls
• Ceilings
• Floors

Serious water damage can lead to mold and mildew growth in damp areas, leading to potential health hazards and having to find another place to stay while the damage is being fixed. Properly preparing your home’s pipes for spring helps protect your home from potential water damage and related issues, helping you maintain a safe and healthy living environment.

Prepping Your Homes Pipes for Spring

The pipes in your home make everything come together, and now that we know why it’s critical to prepare your home’s pipes for spring, let’s look at how to prep them.

A Final Check for Winter Damage

Winter weather, especially when living in Illinois, takes a toll on your home’s plumbing system. Freezing temperatures, ice, and snow cause serious wear and tear on the pipes. Making sure your pipes are ready in spring will give you the opportunity to inspect for cracks, leaks, or any weakened areas, allowing you to address them before they escalate to more severe issues.

Dethawing Frozen Pipes

One of the silent killers of winter is pipes freezing due to the cold temperatures. If they are not properly thawed, they will remain frozen even when the warmer weather of spring arrives. Some of the damages that frozen pipes can cause when the ice finally melts include:

• Blockages
• Bursts
• Water damage

Checking your pipes will ensure that any one of them that is frozen is properly thawed. This process will help prevent potential damage and hundreds of dollars in preparation for your plumbing system and many other areas within your home. However, frozen pipes are serious, so if you notice them, call plumbing experts to ensure the process is done correctly and without complications.

Clean Gutters and Downspouts

While gutters and downspouts are often a second thought for many homeowners, cleaning and maintaining them is critical to ensure proper water flow. During the winter, leaves, debris, and ice, among other things, tend to accumulate in your gutters. These elements cause water to back up, potentially damaging your pipes. Ensure that you clean them thoroughly to prevent any potential blockages.

Test Sump Pump

The health of your pipes relies heavily on your sump pump. If you have one in your basement, test it to ensure it’s working correctly. Pour water into the sump pit and check if the pump turns on and pumps the water out. If it’s not functioning correctly, you need to seriously consider getting it repaired or replaced. As the snow from winter starts to melt away, with your sump pump not working, your pipes will be under heavy stress trying to move them out of your home.

Check Water Pressure

One of the easiest ways to check whether or not your pipes have been affected by the cold winter months is by inspecting the water pressure. Turn on all of the faucets and showers within your home. If you notice that the pressure isn’t where it should be, this is a sign of potential issues with your pipes.

Contact a Plumbing Specialist to Help Prep Your Pipes for Spring

The time to prep your pipes for spring is now, and if you aren’t a plumbing expert, you should call one! By contacting a professional, you can skip hours of hard and time-consuming work and the potential of causing more damage while saving money at the same time. Allow the experts to ensure your pipes and plumbing system are ready to handle the changing weather this spring. Contact Arco Plumbing for pipe inspections in Chicagoland today!

Last Updated on April 20, 2023 by Arco Plumbing Services