Griffin Plumbing Helps You Spring into Cleaning With A Little Plumbing Preventative Maintenance Advice
Spring is in the air! That means more sunshine and warmer days, birds chirping, flowers and trees budding and blooming, and the time for your annual spring cleaning. Your local Santa Maria plumbers are here to help you make the most of your spring cleaning – including taking care of your plumbing.
The Kitchen Is the Heart of Every Home
To kick off your spring cleaning, start in the place your family spends the most time—the kitchen.
When was the last time you had your drinking water tested? You can buy an easy to use water testing kit at most local hardware stores, or call us and one of our plumbers would be happy to test your home’s water for you.
Remember to take care of your garbage disposal, too! Running a cut-up lemon through your disposal at least once a month helps to keep your disposal clean and healthy. The enzymes in the lemon kill off any bad bacteria while supporting the healthy bacteria that should be there. Doing this also keeps your kitchen smelling lemony fresh!
Dishwashers need to be cleaned too! While it seems like dishwashers should clean themselves with every load of dishes, bacteria can build up in the door joints and on the blades. Make sure you are regularly wiping down the inside door where food often gets trapped. You can also run your dishwasher empty with some white vinegar in the soap chamber. This will help remove any hard water deposits on the blades. The manufacturer of your dishwasher might also offer some handy hints, or suggest products for use with your machine.
Give Your Bathroom Some TLC
First things first for home plumbing preventative maintenance, you need to fix any leaks in your bathroom. That means faucets, showers and toilets. Leaking water can add up to hundreds of gallons of water wasted, and it can quickly mean mildew and mold for you.
Clean your sink and shower drains. Treat your drains to some clog remover if you are noticing any slowing. Also, replace any worn out drain covers to ensure that debris is not making it into your pipes.
Stop running toilets before they run off with your checkbook. Running toilets can run up your water bill quickly, even though they are generally pretty inexpensive to repair. You can buy the parts at the local hardware store or have your local Santa Maria plumbers come out and win the race for you.
Don’t forget to clean your showerheads. You could be seriously reducing your shower experience if your showerhead is caked full of grimy buildup from mineral deposits. Try soaking your showerhead overnight in white vinegar and then lightly scrubbing it—an old toothbrush works great to get into the tiny holes!
In and Out of the House
When was the last time your water heater or water softener was serviced? If you are not sure, it is probably time to have them looked at. Routine preventative maintenance on these big appliances can catch many issues that will save you some serious money down the road, and extend the life of these high-dollar appliances. Once the service is complete, get ahead of the game by putting a reminder for your next scheduled service on your calendar.
Don’t forget the gutters! Cleaning old leaves, branches, and even bird nests from your gutters can protect your home from water damage. This includes clearing the downspouts as well and making sure they are pointed away from the house.
For more plumbing preventative maintenance ideas or if there is anything else we can do for you, give Griffin Plumbing a call at (805) 751-7206 today!
