Tips for Keeping Your Plumbing in Good Order

There are few things more worrisome than having to cut your Vacation short due to a busted pipe. Protect yourself from unfortunate events like damaged water heaters or clogged drains by having a Sugar Land Plumber inspect your system and help you make certain nothing happens while you’re gone. Here are some the things that the plumbers at Howell Services will help you tackle before you catch your flight.

Turn off Your Home’s Main Water Supply

This is quite possibly the most important thing you can do before heading out of town. One of our local Richmond, TX, plumbers will locate and show you how to turn on and off the water flow into your home. By safely disconnecting your service you will be able to guarantee that no damages occur due to leaking pipes or malfunctioning appliances. Sadly, this only works in situations where you can afford to have the water completely shut off.

Have Your System Inspected for Leaks

There are many reasons why shutting off your water would be considered unwise. You may have guests, tenants, or special fixtures that require continuous water flow to function. In these instances, your goal should be less on minimizing use than on preventing accidents and misuse. A skilled plumber will inspect every pipe in your home and surrounding areas (such as sprinkler systems) to determine where you are utilizing the most water and potential leakages.

By understanding the sources of potential issues and fixing any under performing fixture you will be able to minimize the risk of pipe breakage while simultaneously lowering your overall water usage. The repair can even pay for itself if the damages are severe enough.

Have Your Sump Pump Inspected

Mother Nature as a funny way of making yourself felt at the least opportune moment possible. The last thing you need is for your Sump Pump to fail during a major storm while you are clear across the country. Keep your basement and crawl spaces dry by having a skilled professional determine if your sump pump is up for the task. After all, who wants to come home and find a smelly basement filled with ruined furniture and mold?

Have Your Drains Cleaned

This is something you can do without the assistance of a plumber. Regularly used drains utilize flowing water to prevent the buildup of smelly and potentially dangerous bacteria. While you are away this bacterium will have the opportunity to grow and potentially create issues for you and your family down the line. Before heading out mix a half cup of vinegar with a full cup of water and flush it down each drain, including the garbage disposal and toilets. While this may make your home smell vinegar for a couple of hours, it will prevent you from having to deal with the most atrocious smells imaginable when you return home.

Install a Water Security System

While you are away you should not have to worry about neighbors playing with your outdoor spigot or a random breakage flooding the kitchen. A water security system installed directly onto the mainline by an experienced and trained plumber will instantly inform you of water usage while you are away from home. This will give you the opportunity to shut off the water instantly and have a trusted neighbor do a quick check to make certain everything is all right. Considering that a breakage can cost thousands of dollars, one of these systems can more than pay for itself with the first incident.

Contact your local plumber today to make certain your plumbing is in tip top shape before you leave town on your next vacation. An hour of your time now will keep you from worrying during your well-deserved respite from daily life. Contact us now!

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