Pumpkin spiced lattes and the smell of cinnamon in the air. I’ve even seen some homes decorated for Halloween. It’s that time of year and fall means it’s time for fall plumbing maintenance. Fall is the best time to get your home ready for the months ahead. Duncan Plumbing offers a 50 point plumbing inspection which includes the below fall maintenance tips and a whole lot more. Here are five tips for fall plumbing maintenance:

A dripping outdoor faucet can spell disaster when temperatures drop below freezing.  Something as simple as a drip can cause a freeze and break to the pipes in the wall or worse. Check the faucet for drips. If your faucet is leaking, this is the time to repair your outdoor faucet. You may want to insulate at this time with a Styrofoam insulation kit.

Here in Texas, we have a couple of more months of warm weather. However, once those cold nights start setting in, be sure to disconnect your water hose. When your water hose is left connected when freezing , water will expand. This expansion can cause the pipes & even faucets inside your home to freeze and break. Simply disconnect your hoses & store for the winter.

In the case of a water leak or break , it’s good to check that the shut off valves or ball valves are fully operational and working properly. Your home should be equipped with a shut off at the street, which will turn off water to your entire home in case of a plumbing emergency. You should also have a shut off valve near the house (for isolating leaks in the yard and turning off water to your home). There should also be valves under your sinks & at the water heater. It’s a good idea to make sure all valves are fully operational to avoid a plumbing emergency. A check of ball valves & shut off valves is part of Duncan Plumbing’s 50 point plumbing inspection.

This reminds me of my Paw Paw. He always took care to check his pipes & seal gaps. These days we are so busy but a little maintenance goes a long way to saving you money. Gaps in the walls develop over time. Check & seal any gaps in the attic, crawl space or near the garage. A little weather stripping, caulk & insulation can prevent pipes from freezing.

Weather you have a gas, electric or a tankless water heater , fall is the time for a water heater inspection & flush. You should be having your water heater inspected, flushed & serviced regularly.

Water heaters quit more often in the winter. Why? Because as temperatures outside fall, it takes more energy to heat the water. This means the water heater is working harder to heat the water to the set temperature. To help your water heater run as efficiently as possible, schedule a water heater flush & check with Duncan Plumbing. By flushing your water heater annually, you will remove any sediment build up which blocks proper heat transfer. Sediment will shorten the life of your unit and cause a noisy water heater or you may notice your water heater popping. Tankless water heaters that have been properly flushed & maintained see at least DOUBLE the life. So a few preventative steps can really save you money in the long run.

Duncan Plumbing Solutions serves Midlothian, Waxahachie & all of Ellis county. Voted Best Plumber Ellis County by the Waxahachie Daily Light and the  NextDoor favorite, we can help you with any plumbing problem. We offer a 50 point plumbing check for our customers and a full 1 year, no questions ask warranty. We are the trusted source with an A+ rating from the BBB. For the best plumber near me, contact Duncan Plumbing today 972-937-0040!

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