15 Plumbing Maintenance Tips (For The Summer)

Plumbing maintenance is one aspect in the home that is often overlooked and taken for granted. We only look at the plumbing when it’s already too late, and everything is clogged, leaking or flooded.

1. Keep Your Shower Heads Sediment Free - Sediments build up in the shower heads and even on faucets with built-in filters. To get rid of these solidified substances, pour in white vinegar or any household vinegar in a plastic bag then soak the heads into the vinegar overnight. Then scrub clean with a toothbrush the next day. Easy plumbing tip to save you from buying new shower heads.

2. Washing Machine Hoses - What we usually can’t see is what we easily take for granted. The washing machine is one of the most hardworking home appliances. Its hoses work just as hard but are often overlooked.

If you see any bulges or likely sources of leaks, replace them immediately. Rubber hoses are prone to cracking and bursting, thus opt for braided steel hose pipes instead.  Also check the hose connectors, making sure they are tight and snug.

3. Garbage Disposal Mechanism - During this time of backyard barbecue parties and family gatherings where you serve plenty of meats and seasonal fruits, your garbage disposal system is working hard for sure. Save your disposal blades from dulling or other possible repairs by taking care of what you dump into the grinder for scrapping. 

Avoid putting coffee grounds, eggshells, pits and left-over pasta, as these will result in clumping into a gum-like substance and may clog your drainage.

Never pour in grease or fats from the meats, as fat hardens as it cools and will damage the blades and obstruct the drainage as well. Do not overwork the blades by dumping food waste material all at once. Aside from hurting the blades, there may be backflow of food sludge.

Maintain sharp blades by putting in a few ice cubes and let them grind. If there is funky sludge coming back up, combine ice with ordinary rock salt or white vinegar to grind them again and wash down with running cold water to rinse.

4. Dishwasher Maintenance - Like your washing machine, your dishwasher will be working overtime especially during parties and family gatherings.  As the Summer months begin, check your pipes and hoses, making sure these are securely snug as well as check for bulges and cracks. Replace doubtful hoses immediately to save yourself the trouble of flooding in the kitchen.

5. Water Sprinkle System Check - Winter months can damage the pipes of your sprinkler system, and leaks from the pipes increase your water bill incrementally if not repaired.  Check for leaks, rusting of pipes and directions of sprinkler heads.

Save yourself from wasting water and money as soon as the cold season is over.  Use sprinklers efficiently to keep your lawn and garden lush and green all Summer by setting the timer to sprinkle during early morning before the sun rises and during the evening.  Your plants will thank you for it.

6. Hot Water Heater Plumbing Maintenance - Water heater tanks accumulate sediments that can affect the performance of your heater.  Annual cleaning by draining out the tank and rinsing with cold water to clean out the deposits will keep your water heater working efficiently.  Follow the manufacturer’s instruction manual on how to drain your water heater tank.

While cleaning and testing the water heater, and leaks appear while performing these maintenance tips, check the valve for sediment debris.  To remove the sediments, raise and lower the water heater lever a few times.  Don’t forget to turn off your water heating system when you go on vacation even if it’s just for several days.

7. Toilet Maintenance - During Summer, the kids are naturally on vacation, that means the toilets will be used twice or thrice as much compared to school months. To keep your toilets from clogging, write down ground rules on things that can be flushed and waste that should be thrown in the trash bin.  

Avoid toilet repairs by not flushing toilet paper as much as possible, tampons and other feminine hygiene products, toys and other things that don’t belong in the toilet.  Keep a plunger handy to unclog on your own before calling an expert.

8. Take Care of Water Pipes – Summertime is planting season as well as re-arranging your garden. Take care of where you plant your favorite bushes and trees, keep them away from the outdoor water pipe connections.

9. General Water Leak Checking - Winter can damage water pipes, leaving them cracked and leaking. To detect water pipe leaks, close all faucets and make sure nothing is running including toilets, water heaters, dishwasher and laundry for at least 5 minutes, and check your water meter.

If the meter is still running, this is a tell-tale sign of a leak or leaks depending on how fast the meter is running.  Immediately call your local plumber to check your piping system and find the source professionally.

10. Professional Plumbing Maintenance - Remember that no one does it best than a professional.  So to safeguard your plumbing system from water pipes going to your house, gutters, and drains, have a local licensed plumber check your systems annually.  You will save money in the long run with the help of a professional plumber.

11. Check Your Sewage Line - At the start of Summer, do precautionary plumbing maintenance by scheduling an examination of sewage lines, especially after rainstorms.  Tree roots tend to follow sources of water through leaking sewer lines.  This can affect your outdoor plumbing system, so have your plumber check it for you at the start of the summer months.

12. Check Drainage - Aside from your plants, the proliferation of pollen, seeds and rain can cause drainage problems.  When seeds get into drainage cracks and crevices, these become seeding beds, where plants, shrubs or tree seedlings start to grow and cause problems to your plumbing system in the long run. 

13. Septic Tank Cleaning - To keep your toilets from having backflows, have your septic tank drained or cleaned annually will keep your wastewater and sewage system working well all year long especially when the cold months begin.

14. Replace Water Fixtures - Summer plumbing maintenance includes replacing water fixtures that aren’t working correctly or have served their time, such as toilets, faucets, shower heads and pipes.  Replacing these fixtures ensure your plumbing system will work all Summer and throughout the seasons ahead.   

15. Save Water by Using Grey and Rainwater - Because your house is in maximum duty during the Summer, your water consumption increases drastically up to 25%.  Augment consumption by installing a rainwater system or grey water collection to use for your garden or for cleaning your garage and backyard. 

Follow these plumbing maintenance and water saving tips for the Summer to keep your water system and appliances running smoothly all throughout these months and the whole year round. Try not to skip on maintaining your plumbing system just because most of it is out of sight.  Don’t keep them out of mind but keep all of these in mind!