Time to Take Care of Your Home

Top 3 Fall Home Maintenance Disasters

As summer comes to an end and the cool fall temperatures arrive, many Mobile homeowners should be turning their attention to numerous home maintenance tasks. For those who do not, they can find themselves very unprepared for winter and its brutally cold weather.

When that is the case, disasters around the house are almost inevitable. But to be sure this does not happen, contacting a plumbing professional to conduct an inspection of the home can ensure that it will be safe and sound for everyone over the winter months.

Check the Outside Faucets

One of the most common and yet overlooked problems Mobile homeowners face in the fall and winter are outside faucets that leak or drip. When this happens, serious damage can occur.

If a faucet or pipe freezes, it can crack and allow water pressure to build up and result in the pipe or faucet bursting, leading to significant water damage both inside and outside the home.

One mistake many people make is thinking that only metal pipes can burst, when in fact it can happen whether the pipe is made of steel, copper, or plastic.

Testing the Water Heater’s Pressure Relief Valve

One of the most important safety aspects of a hot water heater is the pressure relief valve, which should be tested each fall by a plumbing professional to ensure it is in proper working order.

Because the water in a tank can be very hot and other problems could occur, this should always be done by a trained plumber.

If the valve is corroded or does not snap back into place after being lifted up, it should be replaced. For heaters that are more than five years old and never had the valve tested, chances are it has probably corroded and should be replaced immediately.

Insulate Pipes in Unheated Areas

Many people look at pipes in their homes, but fail to think about ones in other areas such as the garage or crawlspace. As a result, these pipes often freeze and burst, leading to extensive damage to the structure and anything located there.

By having a plumber inspect the pipes and then apply heat tape or thermostat-controlled heating cables near the pipes, a homeowner can be sure the pipes will not freeze and burst over the winter. In addition, basement pipes should also be examined and covered with heat tape or Styrofoam pipe insulation for added protection.

If it can go wrong, it will – unless you keep up with a regular maintenance schedule. Call Drain Busters Plumbing & Rooter at (251) 665-9898 to get your Mobile, AL home inspected.

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