Summer is a busy time for families. Kids are out of school, they have friends
over, and summer is the time for picnics and barbecues. This means more
people using the toilet, putting food down the garbage disposal, and using
more water in general. That extra use adds up to put more strain on the
plumbing, but human use isn’t the only culprit. The weather can
cause problems too. From the garbage disposal to the sewer line, there
are issues that can start small and turn into something really big really quickly.
Plumbing Issues to Watch Out For in Summer
Expanding pipes
It’s not uncommon for things to contract in the cold, and expand
in the heat. But, you may be surprised to know that both plastic and metal
pipes have the potential to expand in the heat. The creaks and groans
that you may year in a house – “the house is settling”
sort of noises might actually be the pipes expanding a little if you
hear it in the summer
Coldwater that doesn’t get or stay cold
During the summer months, you may notice that your cold water isn’t
as cold as it should be. This is often caused by hot-cold crossover and
is a fixable problem. It might even be a do-it-yourself kind of fix if
you’re confident in your skills.
Clogged garbage disposals
Fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant in the summer. Kids are home and
throwing more stuff into the sink and garbage disposal. There’s
more chance with increased use that your disposal could clog up. That
chance also increases with summer cookouts and barbecues because people
might drop things down the disposal that don’t actually belong there.
Along with increased use, there may be times when people forget to run
it periodically to clear out whatever might be inside.
More traffic at home = Drain Strain!
Like the garbage disposal, the toilet can clog with increased use. With
kids home for summer or vacation time being utilized, your plumbing may
see more traffic. If children are small, they may be prone to using more
toilet paper than necessary or dropping things down the toilet that shouldn’t be there.
Sewer line backups
When you have more people using the toilet and shower during the summer
and more laundry to do, this puts more stuff through your sewer line.
But, summer thunderstorms and tree roots can also cause problems, as the
storms put excess rain into the system, and tree roots can lead to breaks
in the lines underground.
Filling the Pool
You invested in your swimming pool to enjoy, but be aware that summertime
has a tendency to make your bills climb as you drop the hose into the
pool to top it off. Be sure you’re not piping your water-heated
water into your pool or you could be doubling your expenses!
Solving Summer Plumbing Problems
Each of the plumbing issues mentioned above can be fixed. Some are easy
for a homeowner, but others really should be done by a professional plumber.
- To Protect your Home from Expanding Pipes
If you hear rattling in your pipes, you should call a plumbing professional.
This indicates that the pipes may be hitting each other and causing damage
as they react to the heat and humidity changes that come with summer.
If you hear a creaking here and there without the rattling noise in the
pipes, you’re probably okay. This sort of expansion is normal and
doesn’t cause problems if the pipes have been installed with the
right amount of space between them.
- To Fix the Cold Water That Turns Hot
The hot-cold crossover happens in a couple of different areas of the sink and
plumbing. If you have a heat recirculating system, then there may be a
problem in the recirculating manifold and it may need to be replaced.
There may be an issue in the faucet itself, or at the hot water heater.
This one is one that a professional can easily take care of.
- To Avoid a Clogged Disposal
There are things that should not go into disposal, including some of
the common summer fruits and vegetables, like watermelon rinds, corn cobs,
and grease or oil. These items can damage the bl9ades of cause gunk to
build up in the plumbing, which leads to
drain issues. Also, running cold water as you run the disposal (and for a few moments
afterward) can help to clear the debris.
- To Avoid a Clogged Toilet
First, tell the children in your household to keep things that don’t
belong there out of the toilet. Using smaller amounts of toilet paper,
and only flushing when there’s something to flush can help. If your
toilet clogs often, it may be a sign of an issue in the pipes or in the
sewer line.
- Avoiding Sewer Line Backups
This one shows up as a backflow of sewer into the toilet and drains. Frequent
toilet clogs are also a sign that there are issues in the sewer line.
This is not a do-it-yourself fix. A plumbing pro can look inside the pipes
and get an idea of what needs to be done. Call a plumber if you suspect
to have a blockage in the sewer line.
Home Service Doctors and the Sewerologist are here to help you navigate
all of your drain and sewer needs.
Call us today!
