The memories of freezing or burst pipes from the extreme winter chill may make the summer seem like smooth sailing. However, the warm weather and the host of activities that accompany it can add stress to your sewer and drain system and bring their own set of unwanted problems. A great way to care for the efficiency and health of your building is to know what the most common summer sewer and drain problems are in advance and be able to prevent and watch for them. We at All County Sewer are committed to keeping your business or home running smoothly, so here are the top summer plumbing issues.
Don’t Clog Your Disposal
Great weather and delicious food go hand in hand. With the barbecue grill going full blast and the kids scrambling for fresh watermelon slices, it’s easy to focus on eating and not worrying about how to dispose of the waste properly. However, it’s important to make sure that you are not tossing animal bones, grease, corncobs, fruit rinds or pits into the garbage disposal but rather in the trash bag. There are many homeowners who find their kitchen sink out of commission during a busy summer event because their disposal is clogged.
Double Check the Sump Pump
Heavy summer rains are a huge factor in flooding basements and risk ruining your property. The time to determine if your sump pump and other preventative flooding measures are working properly isn’t after an emergency.
Don’t Overuse Your Washing Machine
You may think that winter’s thick sweaters would lead to heavier laundry loads. However, with more kids sweating outside and families sometimes going through several outfit changes in a single day to stay fresh, your washing machine can be strained. This can lead to a risk of overheating or your machine leaking. Some preventative measures to keep your washing machine system running efficiently is to do less full loads and to check that the hose is smooth and not kinked.
Avoid Clogging Your Shower Drains
A shower after a long summer day is one of the simplest pleasures in life. However, there’s nothing that can ruin that easier than a clogged drain, leading to nasty water pooling in your tub or shower floor. An easy way to keep your shower running is to avoid trapping bits and bobs in the pipes. Beach day ahead? Try to rinse off at the public boardwalk station first and shake off bathing suits into a trash can rather than the shower so sand and pebbles don’t get lodged in your pipes.
Did you dog roll around in some mud at the park? Avoid cleaning them in your shower, where the excess animal hair is likely to create a massive pipe hairball.
Check Your Sprinklers
Sprinklers keep our lawns looking fresh and vibrant and can also serve as an easy outdoor game for young kids (and those young in heart!). However, our sprinkler system can wear down after a long season of disuse and spring leaks. Also, nicks with the lawn mower or a pet mistaking it as a chew toy can make your sprinkler more likely to malfunction and leak water. According to the EPA, more than 10% of Americans have small leaks that lead to a waste of 90 gallons every day. Make sure that your sprinklers are inspected to work properly so that you don’t have an unexpected and unwanted boost to your water bill.
Prevent Summer Sewer Problems With Professional Care
Keeping your sewer and drain line in order can give you the peace of mind to have a wonderful and relaxing summer. If you want to avoid a plumbing emergency, contact All County Sewer NJ for preventative maintenance care. However, if an emergency does spring up (and it happens to the best of us!), you can rely on our over thirty years of experience and fleet of over 40 specialized trucks to fix it quick.