How the Fall Season Can Affect Your Plumbing and Climate Control

With the fall season in full swing, you’re sure to feel a nip in the air and the onset of cooler weather fast approaching. While it’s a great time to shop for holiday decorations and spend time with family, it’s also important to ensure your home’s plumbing and heating systems are ready for the cold that will soon settle in. Here are some great tips for keeping your pipes, appliances, and rooms protected from a plumbing or heating disaster.

Keep Your Pipes Insulated

Just as you’d bundle up your kids before a crisp fall morning, you want to ensure your water pipes are properly insulated. Most water lines today are already installed with some form of plastic or composite insulation materials, but if you have a basement, it’s best to visually inspect any water or sewer lines that might run through it to ensure they’re properly covered. Once Alberta’s first snow hits, water within the pipes can easily freeze and cause major bursts, so it’s important to do this sooner rather than later. If you do spot an area of piping that’s not covered, you can easily purchase pipe insulation from a local hardware store and cover it yourself.

Check Your Water Heater and Stow That Garden Hose

Your water heater will become a valuable asset in your home when the winter comes, so it’s important to ensure it’s running smoothly. If you have a gas water heater, make sure the pilot light retains a stable flame. It’s also a good idea to empty the tank of any sediments that may have accrued over the summer. If your water heater is suffering from a lack of water pressure to your showers and sinks, or has a hard time keeping up with your family’s hot water demands, it may be time to have it repaired or replaced.

While your garden hose can be a blast for the kids to play with during the summer, the rubber can easily crack and split come wintertime. If water is retained in the hose or outdoor faucet, this can also cause a major rupture, so do yourself a favor and empty the hose now, before stowing it in a climate-controlled spot until next year.

Clear Your Air Filters and Check Your Thermostat

Plumbing isn’t your only concern once winter arrives. Proper climate control in your home will keep your family comfortable no matter how cold it gets outside, but if your ventilation filters are dirty or clogged, your furnace will be taxed and you’ll spend more on your heating bills. An easy fix is to clean your vent filters with a vacuum or replace them entirely. It’s also important to test your thermostat on occasion to ensure it can reach higher temperatures and disperse heat where needed.

If you find your furnace is still having a problem achieving a comfortable room temperature, contact Edmonton’s leading plumbing and heating specialists at Hydro-Flo Plumbing & Heating Ltd. We offer 24/7 emergency repairs and effective maintenance when you need it. Whether you’re dealing with a leaky pipe or a chilly room, we will always prioritize your needs. We’ll ensure we diagnose and resolve your heating or plumbing problem quickly and affordably.

Keep your home warm and dry by calling us today.