Fall Home Tips | Plumber in Arlington

As August comes to a close, before we know it fall will have arrived. The cooler temperatures of fall will remind us that winter will only be a few months away. With climatologists announcing this winter is expected to be even more severe than the last, homeowners may want to begin some early preparations for winter’s cold temperatures. Homeowners don’t want to be caught out in the cold with frozen pipes and faucets, needing the service of a plumber in Arlington. Use the following fall home tips to prepare your home, and help to prevent costly repairs throughout the coming winter season.

Though it’s too soon for shutting down faucets, printing out the following list will enable you to stock up on the items you need before winter arrives and catches you unprepared.

• Disconnect and drain garden hoses. If left connected, water in the hoses can freeze and expand, causing hoses, faucets and connecting pipes in your home to freeze.
• Check outdoor faucets for leaks. Even a small drip can lead to burst pipes. You can check for slow leaks by placing a bucket under the faucet. If it hasn’t rained and water accumulates the faucet has a leak requiring repair by a plumber in Arlington.
• If your home is equipped with interior shut-off valves leading to outside faucets, close them and drain water from outside lines turning the faucet on. This will allow the water to drain. Turn the faucet handle off, and insulate for winter. If your shut off valve won’t shut the water supply off to the faucet, give us a call for a plumber in Arlington, or the Fort Worth regions.
• Cover outside faucets using a Styrofoam faucet insulator or other means of wrapping. If you use insulation, remember to wrap loosely, and then slip on a waterproof bag or other cover. Insulation loses its properties to insulate if it’s compressed by wrapping tightly or becomes wet.
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas, such as garages or crawl spaces. Insulate or apply heat tape or thermostat-controlled heat cables around pipes that are exposed, as with the main water supply line supplying your home at the point where it leaves the soil and enters your home. Keep in mind, if an extended power outage occurs, electrical tapes and cables will not protect the pipe.
• Seal air leaks around doors and windows to reduce cold air penetration and the loss of heat.
• Your water heater has to work harder during the cold months of winter. Flush it to remove sediment buildup, which causes corrosion, shortens the water heater life span and reduces its efficiency. If you are uncomfortable providing this maintenance, Benjamin Franklin will send a plumber in Arlington, or Fort Worth, to provide this service for you.
• Check the temperature setting on your water heater’s thermostat. Ensure it is set at 120°F for the best performance. If you don’t know how, give us a call. A plumber in Arlington or Fort Worth will check the temperature. If you haven’t already had the water heater flushed of sediment, we can provide both services, saving you money.
• Clean the outside gutters and downspouts of any leaves, bird nests or other debris to ensure drainage.
• Have a chimney sweep to inspect and professionally clean chimneys.
• Inspect gas ventilation pipes for bird’s nests, leaves or other accumulated debris. A blocked vent pipe is an immediate danger to you and your family from deadly carbon monoxide gases that will be unable to escape. Gas furnaces and the gas water heater are examples of appliances that have a gas ventilation pipe. All homes should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor.
• Inspect and clean the sump pump and pit and test for proper operation. Pumps exposed to extreme cold can freeze, exposing it to potential damage. If the sump pump hasn’t been maintenance this year, now is a good time to call for maintenance from a plumber in Arlington.
• Shut off the water valve providing water to the sprinkler system.
• When leaving home for extended periods such as during the holidays, shut off the main water valve and drain the water pipes by opening the faucets at the highest and lowest points of the home. Set the heat thermostat to a minimum of 55°F and allow heat to operate while you will be away.
• Vacation homes that will be unoccupied for extended periods during the winter will require further winterizing. Utilizing a professional for winterizing these properties is advised.
• Have any leaks repaired by a Benjamin Franklin plumber in Arlington, or Fort Worth to prevent frozen plumbing, burst pipes and potential damage to your home.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing provides reliable and professional plumbing services. When you desire nothing less than the best, give us a call. We back our services with our 100% satisfaction guarantee. Give us a call for a plumber in Arlington, Fort Worth or the surrounding areas. We hope our fall home tips are of assistance to you.