Spring Plumbing System Maintenance

Must-dos to Make Sure Your Plumbing System is Ready this Spring

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Baltimoreans. No, not Christmas—the start of baseball season! As March fades into the distance, and April (finally) starts warming up, it’s time to bust out those Orioles caps and make plans for Opening Day. But as excited as we are to go cheer on those O’s, we wanted to remind you that it’s ALSO time to prepare your plumbing fixtures and systems for the rest of the year.

To make sure you’re checking all the right boxes, we’ve put together a list of must-dos as part of your spring plumbing maintenance.

☑️ Make sure your sump pump is ready to roll

Before those May flowers can bloom, you can expect your fair share of April showers. That means ensuring your sump pump is in working order is imperative if you want to avoid water on your basement floor. The first thing you should do is identify and remove any debris that could be sucked into the pump when it runs—a quick step that could make a huge difference later on. Next, you’ll want to give everything a once-over to ensure there’s no damage. Be sure to pay particular attention to the power cord and confirm that it won’t become tangled with the float switch. Lastly, test the unit to ensure it’s working properly by slowly pouring a large bucket of water into the pump well. If the pump kicks on, it’s working! You may also want to consider buying a sump pump battery backup for an extra level of protection.

☑️ Check inside and outside fixtures for leaks and repair as needed

Now that the weather has warmed up a bit, it’s time to address those minor leaks you’ve been meaning to get around to. Make your way through the home and take inventory of all fixtures to confirm if any are still actively leaking, both where there’s supposed to be water and where there’s not. A thorough inspection should cover the home’s interior and exterior, including your outdoor hose bib, which is a common area of concern coming out of winter. If you turned your spigot off for winter to prevent freezing, don’t be surprised if you find that you’ve sprung a leak after turning it back on. Repairing it quickly is essential to avoiding high water bills or even water damage.

☑️ Clear your outdoor drains

Standing water outside your home is never a good sign, and in many cases, clogged outdoor drains are the culprit. Excessive leaves, sticks, and other debris can easily obstruct the flow of water, causing it to back up. Once your drains are clear and water can flow freely again, some preventive actions you can take include regularly raking debris away from your drains and routinely cleaning out your home’s gutters.

☑️ Prevent future backups

There are a variety of factors that can cause severe backups, many of which you have the ability to control. For instance, you should always be mindful of what you put down the drain—never throw garbage or grease down there! Check out this comprehensive list of what you should never put down your drain. If you’re already experiencing drainage issues, then schedule a drain cleaning. Additionally, tree roots can be a menace to sewer lines, which is a problem no one wants to encounter. Not sure if a tree root has already impacted your sewer system? Sewer pipes showing signs of damage from tree roots are likely to clog, overflow, and may cause the toilet to make a gurgling noise when flushed. The best way to stop tree roots from infiltrating your sewer pipes is to proactively clean and inspect them to reduce the risk of cracking.

Taking a proactive approach with your plumbing system as part of your annual spring cleaning and plumbing maintenance will improve your chances of not falling victim to a disastrous plumbing issue. However, if something does happen, just know that you aren’t on your own. Prime Plumbing is always here and ready to help with your plumbing problem. Remember: Save time, call Prime!