Frozen or slightly corroded pipes may seem like a distant memory during our Kelowna summers when it’s warm enough to explore the Okanagan Rail Trail or rent a boat at the Downtown Marina. However, this can actually become a more pressing problem as the spring months close in and the winter snow begins to thaw.
Combined with increased precipitation, these plumbing care issues can wreak havoc on our pipes, water heaters, sump pumps, and other key heating systems, which is why regular maintenance is essential for homeowners in British Columbia – especially in Kelowna and surrounding areas.
From inspecting drains for clogs, to water system maintenance, there are plenty of simple tasks that you can perform yourself throughout the year when it comes to preventing plumbing problems. At Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling, we’ve been offering commercial and residential plumbing services that the Okanagan community trusts, since 1986.
Contact a Plumber Today
Why Regular Plumbing Maintenance Matters
In Kelowna, even the most reliable plumbing systems are vulnerable to damage, including leaky faucets, sediment buildup, weak joints, and low water pressure.
Many of these systems can last up to 50 years before needing a complete replacement – however, this is only the case if you keep on top of those small, yet cost-effective maintenance jobs that help to prevent general wear and tear or damage from our sometimes harsh weather conditions.
When left untreated, common plumbing issues can impact the efficiency of your hot water and heating appliances. For instance, hard water and mineral buildup may corrode your pipes, putting them at risk of leaks or bursts. As well as leaving you without a clean source of drinking water or heating, this can also cause significant flooding in your home, damaging ceilings, walls, key fixtures, and other interiors.
By completing regular plumbing maintenance tasks at home, you can address small problems before they progress into bigger repairs, which often require expensive materials and long periods of time to complete. Setting time aside to inspect pipes, clean drains, check for leaks, and get rid of excess sediment is therefore a crucial step for not only preventing water damage to your home, but also saving potentially thousands of dollars in the long run.
Plus, plumbing maintenance also comes in handy if you’re looking for water conservation tips. That constantly dripping tap may be annoying when you’re trying to sleep at night, but did you know that it can also waste up to 5 gallons of water per day?
Tightening weak joints and repairing broken faucets is therefore not just crucial for extending plumbing lifespan, but also reducing water waste, lowering those costly bills, and helping you create a greener future for the planet.
Essential Plumbing Maintenance Tips for Homeowners
If your boiler is completely broken, the pipes are frozen over, or your home becomes flooded, we’d always recommend contacting a plumbing professional to avoid making the problem worse or getting injured. However, with some simple DIY plumbing care tips, you can address the smaller issues yourself before they escalate to emergency levels.
From water heater maintenance to preventing clogs, add these easy tasks to your plumbing inspection checklist and keep your systems running smoothly all year round:
Checking for Leaks and Repairing Promptly
Have you recently noticed ceiling stains, peeling paint, lower water pressure, or cracks in the foundations? These are all signs that your home may be experiencing a plumbing leak. This can be caused by anything from corroded pipes to drastic temperature changes, all of which put the fixtures and furnishings within your home at risk of water damage.
Moisture buildup also creates the perfect conditions for mold, mildew, and other fungi to grow. Not only does this leave foul odors and damp patches on the walls, but mold will impact the health of those living within your home, which can cause or worsen respiratory problems.
Timely intervention is therefore essential for water damage and flood prevention, which is why we’d recommend regularly checking for plumbing leaks. Along with keeping an eye out for any of the key signs mentioned above, some effective leak detection methods include:
Monitoring Your Water Meter: Ensure that all water faucets within your home are switched off, as well as any appliances that use water. Then, take note of the numbers on your water meter and check back in an hour. If the numbers have increased, this indicates that you have a leak somewhere.
Dye Testing: If you suspect there is a leak is coming from your toilet tank, put a few drops of food coloring into your toilet. Color should appear in the bowl within 5-30 minutes if this is the case, which indicates that you may need a new flapper.
Using Leak Detectors: Installing a battery-operated leak detector in weak areas, such as old heaters and pipes that lead to exterior faucets, can alert you to even the smallest of leaks. This gives you plenty of time to turn off the water supply and get the leak repaired before it causes a flood in your home.
If you do come across any puddles of water, fixing plumbing leaks as quickly as possible should take priority. Contact our water leak detection team immediately, who are on hand 24/7 to carry out emergency repairs to your pipes, toilets, faucets, dishwashers, and other leaking appliances. We can also help install leak detectors in your home, strata, or property to help avoid needing to call us for emergencies in the first place!
Cleaning Drains and Preventing Clogs
Slow drainage from your sink or shower, gurgling sounds when taps are turned on, or bad smells from the drains; any of these can indicate that your drains are blocked. The good news is that clogged drains are a pretty common occurrence for homeowners in British Columbia and often come as a result of hair, grease, oil, or even food buildup.
One of the best ways to avoid flooding in your home is by preventing clogged drains in the first place. Be sure to regularly clean bathroom drains by pulling out any excess hair that you can see building up using a drain snake, add a hair screen to your shower, and invest in a strainer basket for the kitchen sink.
When it comes to drain maintenance, you should also be careful with the items that you put down in the first place; for example, only flush toilet paper products and avoid pouring cooking oils down the sink. Use natural drain cleaners like baking soda and lemon juice or vinegar, rather than abrasive and toxic chemicals that will damage your pipes.
If these problems keep occurring, we’d recommend hiring a professional clogged drain service to take a look. At Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling, we’re experts in cleaning drains effectively by using specialized cameras and locating equipment like augers, which allow us to quickly identify and clear debris such as tree roots.
Inspecting Water Heaters and Flushing Sediment
Especially during those harsh Kelowna winter months, there’s nothing worse than being exposed to an unwanted cold shower. This can often be due to a sediment buildup in your water heater, which prevents it from working properly and causes irreparable damage over time.
To avoid hot water heater repairs, and prolong the life of your tank and ensure that it heats water quickly, you’ll need to flush the tank regularly, following these comprehensive steps:
Switch Off the Power: Turn the gauge of a gas water heater to the pilot setting, or shut off the power to your electrical heater as a necessary safety precaution.
Turn Hot Water On: Remove air bubbles from the tank by switching the hot water faucet on in your bathroom sink. Allow it to fully drain and turn it back after approximately one minute. You should also shut off the cold water supply.
Attach a Hose: Find the spigot on your heater and attach either a garden or short rubber hose, putting the end of the hose into a bucket for optimal water drainage.
Drain the Tank: Turn the lever above the spigot to open the valve. Darker water indicates a high sediment buildup, which may require further treatment from a plumbing professional.
Flush the System: Shut off the valve once all the water has drained, and instead turn on the cold water supply for around 5 minutes, which will remove any remaining sediment from the system. Repeat the process if lots of sediment is still appearing in the water.
Hire a Reliable Plumbing Care Professional Today
With several Kelwowna Best Plumber awards under our belts, Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling is proud to offer plumbing solutions that are guided by family values, integrity, and unparalleled customer service.
We picture a future where every home enjoys elevated comfort and safety, which is why we’re here to support your DIY plumbing upkeep with our professional services. Along with routine maintenance and annual checkups, we also provide emergency repairs for water leaks and gas lines, as well as installation of hydronic systems, water heaters, boilers, and more.
Explore our professional plumbing services and solutions at Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling to maintain reliable hot water, heating, and water systems all year round. Contact our home plumbers today for more information.
Book Home Plumbing Services