Our friendly San Luis Obispo plumbers have come up with a list of outdoor plumbing tips for spring to ensure there are no unseemly surprises to spoil your springtime enjoyment.
The rain is over on the Central Coast – fingers crossed – and it’s time to start thinking about one of the best aspects of California: outdoor living. But before you start soaking up the sun during barbeques, gardening, and outdoor beautification, it’s a great time to check in on your outdoor plumbing.
Check Your Sump Pump
If you have a sump pump, which prevents groundwater from getting into your basement or crawl space, it’s particularly important to ensure it’s running properly after our wet winter. There could be sitting water in your crawl space that you don’t even know about! Inspect it by filling your sump pump with enough water for the float switch to turn on.
If it is properly working, the water level will lower. If it doesn’t turn on, you may have a faulty switch.
Inspect Outdoor Faucets
Your outdoor faucets may be leaking, and you wouldn’t even know it. Here’s how you can find out:
Place your thumb over the spigot, so it is blocked, and turn the water on. If the water is contained by your thumb, that indicates that there is a leak somewhere in the piping.
If the pressure is too great for your hand, you are all good.
Another way to discover a leak is checking the water meter before going to bed and rechecking it in the morning. You can also install a water management tool like the MOEN FLO can help you determine if you have a leak, all from an app on your phone.
According to Angi’s List, “a slow drip from an outdoor spigot can add up to 20 gallons of water a day or 500 gallons a month.” Call the San Luis Obispo pros for help.
Inspect Your Septic System
Another job for the pros is inspecting your septic system. Doing so could prevent a mess that would definitely put a damper on the weekend BBQ with friends and family.
If you have one, septic tanks should be inspected and pumped every three to five years to prevent costly replacement of the filter field.
Contact our professional San Luis Obispo plumbers if your septic system is overdue for inspection or if you have any other outdoor plumbing concerns. Call Griffin Plumbing at
More Outdoor Plumbing Items to Inspect
Check for debris in plumbing vents, yard drains, gutters, downspouts and sprinkler systems. Check sprinklers for signs of leaks, adjust for proper coverage, and adjust the sprinkler clock to account for extra daylight. As the temperatures warm up, you’ll want to check your irrigation system for leaks and cracks.
Contact our professional San Luis Obispo plumbers if you have any other outdoor plumbing concerns. Call Griffin Plumbing at
