You know it’s important to maintain your indoor plumbing, but don’t forget about your outdoor waterworks. Because items such as hoses, sprinklers, and outdoor pipes are constantly exposed to the elements, they’re prone to failures that require expensive repairs. With good maintenance, though, you can keep your outdoor plumbing in great shape.
Below, learn our best outdoor plumbing tips. Having outdoor plumbing problems? Call us for plumbing repair in Bixby, OK.
Outdoor Plumbing Tips for Bixby Homeowners
Outdoor plumbing maintenance isn’t a once-a-year thing. As the seasons shift, so do the potential problems that can crop up in your plumbing system. To prevent them, you’ll need to pay attention to your system all year long. Check out our seasonal plumbing tips so you’ll know what to focus on.
Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts
While gutters aren’t exactly part of your plumbing system, failing to keep them clean can cause serious water damage, not to mention issues with your roof. Gutters and downspouts are prone to clogs from debris, including leaves, soil, branches, and insect nests.
At least once a year (twice is better), give your gutters and downspouts a good cleaning. You can use the water pressure from a garden hose to push stubborn debris through and out of your gutters. Want more outdoor plumbing tips for caring for your gutters? Call us today.
Clear Debris From Outdoor Drains
Your outdoor drains are responsible for carrying rainwater away from your home. Should those drains get clogged with leaves and mud, the water has nowhere to go. You could end up with a flooded yard or even torrents of water rushing into your home.
Thankfully, it’s easy to prevent this by regularly cleaning your drains. Brush away any leaves covering the drains, and use a hose to rinse mud off the drain covers. If you see water backing up from the drains, call a plumber. They can use a technique called hydro jetting to remove clogs deep inside your drains.
Maintain Your Irrigation System
Without your irrigation system, you’d have to spend hours each week watering your lawn and flower beds. If you want your irrigation system to last, follow these outdoor plumbing tips.
- Before use, check your sprinkler heads and hoses for clogs and leaks. If the soil is very damp in a particular area or you notice puddles of standing water, your system might have a leak.
- Test the water pressure going to your irrigation system — it should be between 20 and 40 psi. Overly high water pressure can strain and damage the system. If yours is too high, consider installing a pressure regulator.
- Before winter, drain any remaining water in the system and disconnect the hoses. This prevents water from freezing and damaging the system.
Inspect Water Supply Lines for Leaks
Are your water bills sky-high? You may have a leak somewhere in your water supply line. Outdoor plumbing lines are prone to leaks due to our frosty winters and scorching summers.
To spot leaks, look for signs of rust and corrosion around the joints where fixtures and faucets connect. You can temporarily fix leaks with plumbing tape, but it’s best to call an expert for a more permanent solution.
Protect Outdoor Pipes From Frigid Weather
Winter temperatures can drop below freezing here in Bixby, so protecting your outdoor pipes from the cold is a must. If you fail to do so, your pipes could crack or burst, leaving you with a big mess to clean up.
To protect your pipes, wrap them in insulation rated for outdoor use. If an arctic cold front is incoming and you don’t have time to buy insulation, a thick blanket works well in a pinch.
Keep your faucets dripping a bit when freezing weather is in the forecast to help prevent water from freezing in the pipes.
Schedule Regular Plumbing and Outdoor Pipe Maintenance
Although there are many outdoor plumbing tasks you can handle yourself, it’s always best to have an expert plumber handle maintenance for you. During an outdoor plumbing inspection, a plumber will inspect your system for cracks, leaks, and other problems. If they find any issues, they’ll offer solutions for repairs.
At Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric, we recommend scheduling annual outdoor plumbing maintenance.
Call Our Pros in Bixby, OK, for More Outdoor Plumbing Tips
Need more outdoor plumbing tips? Call the pros at Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric! Our experienced plumbers in Bixby offer outdoor plumbing maintenance and repairs at competitive prices.
Call today to discover outdoor plumbing solutions or learn about our most popular home plumbing upgrades.
