As temperatures begin to drop, a little preparation can go a long way toward protecting your home and avoiding unexpected plumbing problems. Following a fall plumbing maintenance checklist gives you an opportunity to catch leaks, slow drains, water heater concerns, and vulnerable pipes before colder weather puts additional stress on your plumbing system. At Bodenheimer Plumbing, we’ve been helping homeowners throughout Winston-Salem and the Piedmont Triad care for their plumbing for more than 90 years.
If you need help getting your home ready for the season, call us at 336-788-3966 to schedule plumbing service before cooler weather arrives.
1. Check Your Home for Leaks
One of the simplest steps in fall plumbing maintenance is checking your home for leaks. Even a small drip can waste water, increase your utility bill, and potentially point to a larger problem.
Take a few minutes to look around your home for:
- Dripping faucets
- Leaking toilets
- Moisture beneath sinks
- Water around exposed pipes
- Water stains on walls or ceilings
- Unexplained changes in your water bill
Taking care of small leaks now can help keep them from becoming bigger headaches later in the season.
2. Make Sure Your Drains Are Flowing Properly
Fall is also a good time to pay attention to how well your drains are working. Slow-moving sinks, tubs, and showers can indicate buildup in your drain lines that may eventually lead to a clog or backup.
Watch for slow drainage, recurring clogs, unpleasant odors, or water backing up into another fixture. If these issues keep returning, professional drain cleaning may be a better solution than repeatedly treating the symptoms.
Addressing drainage problems should be part of your plumbing inspection before winter so you can head into the colder months with a plumbing system that is working as it should.
3. Give Your Water Heater Some Attention
As cooler temperatures arrive, reliable hot water becomes even more important. Your water heater deserves a spot on your seasonal maintenance list, especially if you’ve noticed unusual noises, leaks, corrosion, or inconsistent water temperatures.
Regular water heater maintenance can also help your system perform better and last longer. For traditional tank water heaters, flushing the tank can help remove sediment buildup that may affect performance over time.
We service standard, tankless, and hybrid water heaters, so if your system isn’t keeping up with your household’s needs, we can help determine whether maintenance, repair, or replacement is the right option.
4. Prepare Your Outdoor Plumbing
Don’t forget about the plumbing outside your home. Outdoor faucets, hoses, and water lines can become vulnerable as temperatures approach freezing.
Include these tasks in your outdoor plumbing winterization:
- Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets.
- Drain water from hoses and store them out of the cold.
- Inspect outdoor hose bibs for leaks or damage.
- Drain outdoor supply lines when appropriate.
- Locate and check any shutoff valves serving outdoor plumbing.
Completing these tasks in the fall can make it easier to prepare plumbing for winter before freezing temperatures arrive.
5. Protect Vulnerable Pipes From Freezing
Frozen pipes can cause significant damage because water expands when it freezes, putting pressure on the pipe containing it. That’s why taking steps to prevent frozen pipes before temperatures drop is so important.
Pay particular attention to pipes located in areas that receive less heat, including:
- Garages
- Crawlspaces
- Attics
- Basements
- Under kitchen and bathroom cabinets
- Along exterior walls
Exposed pipes may benefit from products designed for insulation and cold-weather protection, such as pipe sleeves, heat tape, or heat cable. Checking these areas ahead of time is an important part of winter plumbing preparation and can help reduce the risk of a burst pipe when freezing weather arrives.
6. Find and Test Your Main Water Shutoff Valve
If a pipe bursts or a major leak develops, knowing how to quickly shut off your home’s water supply can help limit the damage.
Before winter, locate your main water shutoff valve and make sure the adults in your household know where it is. You should also make sure the valve is accessible and can be operated if an emergency occurs.
This simple step only takes a few minutes, but it can make a major difference when you’re dealing with an unexpected plumbing problem.
7. Consider a Professional Plumbing Inspection
There are plenty of fall plumbing tasks homeowners can handle themselves, but some developing problems aren’t easy to spot without professional experience.
A seasonal inspection can provide an opportunity to identify concerns involving pipes, fixtures, drains, water heaters, and other parts of your plumbing system before they turn into larger problems. It’s also a convenient time to ask questions about any changes you’ve noticed around your home.
Rather than waiting until something stops working on a cold winter day, we recommend addressing concerns while there’s still time to make repairs or improvements.
Why Choose Bodenheimer Plumbing?
At Bodenheimer Plumbing, we’ve served Winston-Salem and the surrounding Piedmont Triad for more than 90 years. Our long history has given us experience with just about every type of residential plumbing problem, from everyday repairs to larger plumbing projects.
Our residential plumbing services include drain cleaning, water heater installation and repair, toilet and faucet services, water and sewer line work, sump pumps, gas lines, and more. We also have many long-term staff members and technicians who share our commitment to providing quality workmanship and dependable service.
Most importantly, we’ve built our business around relationships rather than making a quick sale. We want our customers to know they have a plumbing team they can turn to throughout the year, whether they’re planning ahead with preventive maintenance or dealing with an unexpected problem.
Complete Your Fall Plumbing Maintenance Checklist Before Winter
Working through a fall plumbing maintenance checklist now can help you identify potential problems before cooler temperatures put your plumbing system to the test. From checking for leaks and clearing slow drains to protecting exposed pipes and maintaining your water heater, a little preparation can help your home head into winter in better shape.
If you’d like professional help preparing your plumbing for the season, we’re ready to help. Call Bodenheimer Plumbing at 336-788-3966 to schedule service and make sure your home’s plumbing is ready for cooler weather.
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