Though you may believe that the passage of winter without any serious plumbing problems has let your plumbing system off the hook at least until next winter, we at Ken s Plumbing & Heating beg to differ. Some of the most vexing plumbing problems happen in the spring. A few of them include:
Leaking Pipes
Most things contract in response to cold weather, and this includes plumbing pipes. However, water expands as it gets colder, and expanding water in contracting pipes lead to cracks. When the weather warms up, the pipes expand, and so do the cracks. Signs of leaking pipes are low water pressure, spiking water bills, puddles around the property, spots of water around fixtures and unpleasant smells.
Clogged Gutters
Though our customers are careful to have their gutters cleaned out in the fall, they can still fill up in the spring with falling flowers, twigs and leaves that don’t trouble themselves to fall until new leaves push them out. Some animals may start nests in gutters that they believe have been abandoned. Clogs in the gutters or downspouts can reroute water to flow down the house’s siding or over the roof, which can damage the siding and interior and exterior walls. If the water simply pools in the gutters, it is a perfect breeding place for mosquitoes and other pests.
Call our professional plumbers if you’re nervous about getting up on a ladder and clearing out your gutters and downspouts.
Slow Drainage
You can have slow draining both inside and outside your house. This might have to do with ground that is so waterlogged that it simply can’t absorb any more rain, much less the spring melt. This water can leak into your basement and flood it. There are a few things that can be done to fix poor drainage, including installing a new sump pump or making sure that the old one is working well. Landscape professionals can also install French drains to take the water away.
Some fixtures become notoriously slow in the spring. In many cases it’s because the roots of nearby trees have infiltrated the drainage pipes, drawn by both the water and the high nitrogen content. If every drain in the house is suddenly slow, this is most likely the reason. Another reason for slow drains is that all of that holiday partying has finally caught up to our clients, resulting in clogs. This is probably the reason for slow drainage if it only affects one or two fixtures.
Sometimes clogs can be fixed by the application of a plunger or a gentle remedy such as baking soda and white vinegar. You should be very sparing in your use of harsh chemicals, for they can damage your pipes. If you have your own septic system, they can kill off the bacteria that helps break down waste.
Call Us For Spring Plumbing Problems
If you live in the East Meadow, New York area and are having those springtime problems with your plumbing such as clogs, leaks and slow drains, don’t hesitate to call us at Ken s Plumbing & Heating. Our number here is 516.882.3390.