Now that summer is in full swing, most homeowners are busy enjoying the extra time with their families, spending time outdoors, or finally taking that long overdue family vacation that they’ve been planning for the last couple years. With all of the fun and adventure that the summertime usually brings, it can be easy to forget about some of the more mundane things around your home, like maintenance projects and the like. Unfortunately, summertime can be a rough time of year for several of the major systems in your home, and your plumbing system is no exception. Despite what you might think, the summer months bring their own set of specific potential issues for your home’s plumbing system, and if you aren’t aware of what they are, or the steps you need to take in order to resolve them, you could find yourself with very serious issues on your hands that can easily disrupt all of your summer fun and plans. In an effort to make sure that doesn’t happen, our team of professionals have taken the time to put together this short list detailing what just a few of these common issues are and what you should do in the event that they spring up in your home.
Clogged Disposals
If you are like many homeowners out there, the summer months provide you with the prime opportunity to break out the grill and cook up a feast or two for your family and friends. While outdoor cookouts are easily one of the most iconic aspects of summertime, they can also contribute to one of the more common plumbing issues that we get called on to help take care of during this time as well: clogged disposals. With all of the extra food and cooking byproducts that come about as a result of these cookouts, it is important to know what can and can’t be put down the disposal. While most homeowners know that the disposal is only for organic materials, it is important to note that even among organic materials, there are some that just aren’t meant to be put down there. This includes any hard fruits and vegetables, like watermelon or corn as these can cause serious damage to the blades of your disposal. In addition, you want to be sure that you aren’t pouring any dirty grease that might be leftover from your grilling down there as well, as this tends to congeal when exposed to hot water, and can lead to extremely stubborn clogs. It is also important to make sure that you run the cold water for a few seconds both before and after grinding food, as this will help to remove any lingering particles leftover on the blades.
Sewer Line Backups
As those of us here in Florida know, summer weather can be quite unpredictable even at the best of times. That sometimes means that we have to deal with particularly wet periods of time, and if much of that excess moisture finds its way into your home’s sewer lines, you could have a very serious problem on your hands in no time at all. Whether it gets into your sewer lines through cracks or gaps, this excess water can make your sewer lines back up right back into your home if there is enough water, and when this happens, it’s not only an issue of inconvenience, but also one of safety as any kind of raw sewage in your home is a serious health risk. If you notice that you have water backing up into your toilets or showers, don’t hesitate, and call in an experienced professional plumber right away so they can help you get the issue resolved before the problem gets out of hand.
Clogged Toilets
Thanks to the kids being out of school during the day, and the addition of any friends they might have over, your home’s toilets are likely going to be seeing a bit more use during the summer months, and this means that they are much more likely to develop clogs as well. While most clogs can be cleared somewhat easily with a plunger and a little bit of dedicated effort, if kids continue to try and flush it down, it can spell disaster for your bathroom and any surrounding rooms in your home. The best way to avoid these is simple to sit everyone down, and make sure you are all on the same page about what should and shouldn’t be flushed down the toilets, and what amount of toilet paper is a responsible amount to use before flushing. Taking this step now can save you a lot of time and headache over the coming months.