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Summer
Tips for Summer
Summer is a time where vacations are common and maybe your looking into buying a home. Check the plumbing and see if it has been certified. Also check your own home for plumbing issues using these tips.
• Check around the base of the toilet for signs of water damage
• Provide a trash bin in the bathroom so the toilet isn't used as a garbage can. NEVER flush cotton swabs, cotton balls, hair, facial scrub pads, diapers, sanitary products or similar items down the toilet. These items will not easily dissolve and are responsible for most clogs.
• If your home has a basement, check exposed piping for signs of leaking.
• Check the date of the water heater. The first four numbers of the serial number on the water heater are the month and year. Any heater over 15 years old is a candidate to be replaced.
• A rusty water tank is a sign of pending problems.
• Check to make sure that the garbage disposer and dishwasher connections are tight and leak free.
• Survey the inside of cabinets (with a flashlight) for signs of water damage, warped cabinet bottom or stains. Make sure that traps and supply tubes are not leaking.
• Check washing machine hoses for rupture. Turn valves on and off to test for leaks.
Standing water is another common problem resulting from leaky or broken pipes. Excess water in a yard may be coming from a damaged sewer line and may contain waste from the home. Standing water is not healthy for children or pets, and is a breeding ground for insects and germs. Inspect the yard for areas that are too wet and with unusual plant or grass growth. Also if there are straight green lines of grass in your yard but the rest of your yard is dead or dying, this is a sign of a failing drain field. You might want to have it checked out before it becomes a bigger problem.
If you are planning to purchase a home, doing a video inspection of the underground sewer pipe may be a good idea, especially in older homes with clay or concrete sewer pipes. The inspection will reveal any flaws with the sewer before you buy and inherit a problem. The cost of repairing or replacing an underground sewer may cost many thousands of dollars making a relatively inexpensive camera inspection a good investment. C&C Plumbing & Septic Inc. offers camera service, call for details.