It's Almost Winter: Time for Your Plumbing Checkup

Air Assurance Plumbing - Tulsa, OK

With fall approaching, there's always plenty to do before the really cold weather hits. There's raking leaves, maybe covering up the HVAC condenser and calling for fall maintenance on the furnace. But do you also plan for a fall plumbing checkup? Here's why you should.

Why Your Plumbing Needs a Checkup

In our region, pipes can freeze. When water in pipes freezes, it expands, then thaws with warmer temperatures. Once thawed, the water may leak, flooding your home, damaging floors, walls, ceilings and furnishings. The key to preventing frozen pipes in your home and outside is installing sufficient insulation, and maintaining a temperature of between 50-60 degrees at minimum.

Fall Maintenance Checklist

You as a homeowner can do some tasks to prepare plumbing for fall, while some things may require a plumber.

1. Undo hoses from spigots and check faucets for leaks. Have them fixed before freezing weather arrives. Water trapped in hoses can expand in pipes and burst them. When you've drained the hoses and faucets, cover faucets with an insulated cover to prevent freezing.

2. If you have older sewer lines that tree roots have grown into, have them snaked to ensure water is flowing throughout the winter. If you have newer sewer lines, more than likely you have no cracks and tree roots aren't a problem.

3. Going on vacation? If no one is going to be visiting your home to feed pets or water plants, you may want to turn the water off at the street and drain faucets. Do leave the thermostat between 50-60 degrees. If you don't have a smart thermostat to monitor conditions, ask a neighbor to drop by to make sure the HVAC is working while you're gone.

4. Wrap uninsulated pipes in the attic, in cabinets built into exterior walls or in the basement with extra insulation or heat tape.

5. Have your water heater serviced. Sediment should be flushed out and the thermostat and other elements checked. Water heaters work overtime in the winter.

Need a plumbing checkup? Contact Air Assurance. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding community.

Save Water With These Plumbing Fixtures

A plan for residential water efficiency and conservation should include the installation of water-saving plumbing fixtures.The following list includes some of the more common types of these fixtures and what you should look for when choosing water-saving plumbing equipment for your home.

WaterSense Certification

The WaterSense program is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and exists to help consumers better understand water efficiency and conservation. Any plumbing fixtures with WaterSense certification have been tested and proven to be water efficient. By using these fixtures you'll be able to reduce your monthly household water consumption and, at the same time, trim your water bill.

Hands-free Faucets

Hands-free faucets do not have standard on-off handles. Instead, they contain a sensor that activates the fixture when you place your hands under the faucet. Water continues to run while your hands are in place. When you remove them from the faucet's proximity, the faucet shuts off in just a few seconds. This helps prevent wasted water and ensures the faucet won't be left on by small children or others who may forget to shut the water off.

Dual-flush Toilets

Dual-flush toilets give you two levels of water use for flushing. The low-water option uses less water and is intended primarily for flushing liquid waste. The higher-water option needs more water to effectively remove solid waste. By using the low-water option more frequently, you'll save water by not being required to use the same amount of water each time the toilet is flushed.

High-efficiency and Low-flow Fixtures

Faucets and toilets are available in styles that automatically use less water than standard models. They provide enough water for the task, but use significantly less of it. Low-flow fixtures, such as aerators and showerheads, restrict water flow, reducing the amount of water available for bathing, cleaning, or similar tasks.

Tulsa and Broken Arrow residents can count on Air Assurance for professional heating and cooling services, including sales, installation, maintenance, and repair. Contact us today for more information on how installing water-saving plumbing fixtures can save substantial amounts of water in your home every month.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about TOPIC and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay”