Happy Spring Cleaning!
The birds are singing, the leaves are appearing on trees, and it’s a time when many people are thinking about spring cleaning. If you’re opening up your windows for some fresh springtime air and cleaning up your home for the spring, don’t forget your plumbing!
Just like other parts of your home, your plumbing needs to be cleaned too! When you clean up your plumbing, you’ll save money and enjoy worry-free, problem-free water for this season and many more to come.
Here are some tips to help you know what to clean when it comes to your home’s plumbing:
Toilet Bowl Cleaning Tips
Clean out the bowl as you normally would, and also clean out the inside of the tank. Avoid using harsh chemicals. It doesn’t hurt to give your toilet a plunge or consider pouring a small bucket of water into the bowl from about waist level to “power flush” your toilet. Remind your family not to put trash in the toilet: never flush paper towels, tissue, diapers, or tampons. These things do not break up correctly and can clog your pipes. Additionally, use the minimum amount of toilet paper required to clean up after you are done.
If your toilet is leaking because of worn-out parts or the need for adjustments to your valves, floats, or gasket, give Hunt’s Services a call to make sure your toilets are in good working order. We will replace the parts and make adjustments so that you aren’t wasting water or end up with water damage to your house.
Bathroom Sink Overflow
Ensure that your sink’s overflow holes are clear. Overflow holes are used in case the sink starts to overfill, which may not seem like a big problem–until it is. Fill your sink to test the overflow holes and clear any overflow holes that are clogged. Drain pipes can also get clogged over time and require a good cleaning or flush to remove the blockage. Check your stopper to see if it is the cause of the blockage by removing and examining it from your sink.
Check below your sink to see if there are any leaks either from the sink or from the drain pipes. If you have a leak that you can’t fix yourself or a clog that won’t go away, give us a call so we can insure that leaks and clogs don’t cause you headaches any longer.
Bathtub Drains
To keep things flowing smoothly through the drain of your bathtub, each month you should feed it baking soda—one cup’s worth, with a cup of vinegar to chase it. Plug up the drain and allow the chemical reaction to occur. Wait for a little while, and then pour boiling water down the drain. This method clears out soap scum buildup and accumulated hair that gets caught in the pipes. Avoid slow bathtub drains by using a drain straining device to collect hair that would normally clog the pipes. This inexpensive device, when cleaned regularly, will prevent a lot of problems.
Perhaps even more so than a bathroom sink, your bathtub can get clogged with hair. As a part of your plumbing Spring Cleaning, remove the stopper from your tub. Most stoppers are removed by unscrewing the stopper from the drain hole. Get a piece of stiff wire, make a hook at the end, and fish out the gunk and hair that are usually just below the drain.
Kitchen Sink Clogs
Your kitchen sink drain takes in a lot of debris, including grease and fat, which can clog the drain and slow drainage. Pour boiling water down your kitchen sink drain to proactively clear the build-up. Consider using a drain straining device here too.
Garbage Disposal
Don’t use your hands to clean your garbage disposal. You can actually use lemon rinds or dish soap to do it! Lemon juice can help loosen and clean any build-up in your disposal and drain. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice in your disposal and let it sit for a while to do its work. Afterward, place small chunks of lemon with the rind and run your garbage disposal which helps clean the blades. And when you use your garbage disposal, avoid pouring grease or fat into it because that can clog up the machine and your pipes, especially when the grease or fat cools off.
Dishwasher
Your dishwasher works hard to remove the debris from your dishes and utensils to keep them clean and sanitary. Consequently, the leftover food particles can build up and clog your dishwasher drain. It is a good idea to remove the cover from your drain at the bottom of your dishwasher and check for and remove any debris that is stuck in your drain.
Also check your dishwasher for leaks. Leaks can occur in any of your water and drain connections in your dishwasher. If you have an air gap that empties into your kitchen drain or sink, take the cap off and clean any debris that has accumulated from your dishwasher.
Water Heater
Take a look at your water heater. Is it producing enough hot water for you? Are there leaks or visible cracks? Be proactive; don’t wait for your water heater to break before you do something about it.
When was the last time you had your water heater flushed? We generally recommend flushing your water heater so it is free of debris and sediment at least once a year. Springtime is a good time to get your water heater ready for the upcoming year. Flushing your water heater will increase the life span of your water heater and reduce your energy bills.
Summary
Spring is here and for many people that means it’s time to do a big spring cleaning. When you do, don’t forget your pipes because they are crucial to helping you keep your family comfortable and clean and quenched all year long!
