Autumn in San Jose, CA brings cooler temperatures and a lengthy dry spell to the area. From September through November, locals can expect limited rainfall and temperatures that hover in the mid-50s. Although there’s virtually no risk of freezing pipes, there are still climate-related concerns that make pre-season plumbing maintenance a must. The following is the fall plumbing maintenance checklist from our team here at Ribbs Plumbing Services.
Schedule a Whole-House Plumbing Inspection
Abundant sunshine and temperatures in the low to mid-80s are the hallmarks of a typical San Jose summer. As the weather grows cooler, you can count on temperature-related expansion and contraction to impact plumbing connections. Plumbing materials expand when temperatures rise to create tight, high-tension connections. When they contract, your plumbing could develop a few slow and hidden leaks.
Whole-house plumbing inspections allow plumbers to detect these and other changes before serious water damage occurs. Plumbing check for leaks behind drywall, behind plumbing-connected appliances, and in the water supply lines that service your home. Whole-house plumbing inspections keep homeowners compliant with the terms of their home insurance policies, home service agreements, and fixture manufacturers’ warranties. By allowing plumbers to catch and correct minor issues early on, these inspections can also lead to lower repair costs overall.
Replace Leaky Faucets
Residents of San Jose are hardly strangers to drought conditions. Late summer is the most likely time for locals to face water restrictions. Whether you’re worried about a sharp rise in your water bill or other penalties, you can dramatically limit your household’s water use by replacing leaky faucets.
Fall is an excellent time to schedule these and other general plumbing repairs, especially when drought conditions carry into the autumn season. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a single leaky faucet could waste up to 3,000 gallons of water each year.
Schedule Backflow Testing
Backflow occurs in water supply lines due to changes in pipes’ internal pressure. With backflow, fresh, potable water moves backwards in water supply lines and often carries dangerous contaminants with it. Backflow can make the water from your taps cloudy, murky, or foul-tasting. If left unchecked, changes in your water quality could cause serious illness.
Things like soil shifting, soil compression, and soil erosion can contribute to backflow. Installing or heavily using landscape irrigation systems can as well.
If autumn brings drought-free conditions, locals can restart their outdoor watering plan of action. If fall proves just as arid as summer, landscaping soils compress, shift, or move. In either case, autumn comes with an increased risk of backflow, and it’s the perfect time to schedule backflow testing and replace outdated backflow preventers.
Sewer Line Cleaning and Inspection
To prevent sewer line blockages and backups, homeowners should schedule sewer line inspection and cleaning services every 18 to 22 months. During sewer line inspections, plumbers check for invasive tree roots and weeds, heavy buildups of sediment, widespread corrosion, cracks, and other problems.
Sewer line cleaning breaks down trapped debris in sewer lines and flushes it toward the municipal sewer main. Treatments like hydro-jetting and rooter service can even break up invasive tree roots and weeds.
Fall is a great time for both services. You can get your sewer line ready for the increased workload of the holiday season. You can also take care of any significant root growth that occurs during the spring and summer.
Drain Cleaning
Throughout much of the nation, fall brings stubborn drain gnat infestations. Cooling temperatures send these pests indoors for warmth. Drain flies are also attracted to living indoor plants and the moisture they provide. These pests flourish in dirty drains. Professional drain cleaning can clear them out.
Sump Pump Maintenance
Not every home in San Jose has a sump pump. With limited autumn rain and minimal risk of flooding, few properties need them. However, if you regularly have wet crawlspaces or moisture in other low-lying areas and have already ruled out a slab leak, installing a sump pump is a good idea.
If you currently own a sump pump, autumn is the best time to maintain it. You can:
- Test your sump pump
- Inspect its power source
- Remove all debris in the sump pit
- Inspect the float switch
- Clear all obstructions from the discharge pipe
To maintain compliance with your sump pump manufacturer’s warranty, you can schedule professional sump pump maintenance as well.
Optimize Your Landscape Drainage
Taking good care of your landscape drainage is an important part of protecting your home’s foundation. Start by cleaning and optimizing your rooftop drainage. Clear out all leaves, twigs, and other debris in your gutters and assess the integrity of your downspouts.
Install Drain Grates
Keep leaves and other materials out of your landscaping drainage by installing catch basins or drain grates. If you have pooling water or perpetually damp soil around your landscaping drains, have a plumber inspect them.
Aerate Your Lawn
After a hot, dry summer, there’s a good chance that the soil beneath your lawn and other living landscape elements is dry and compressed. Aerating your yard will improve water penetration and limit the risk of pooling water. If water penetration appears especially poor, consider adding compost to your soil.
How Maintaining Your Landscape Drainage Protects Your Plumbing System
Drought-related soil compression causes poor soil penetration, pooling water, and other issues that could impact the integrity of underground piping. Blocked landscaping drains compound these issues. Making sure that your landscape drainage works as it should prepares your property for the region’s rainy season. From November through March, when local precipitation is at its highest, you won’t have to worry about sewer pipe or water supply line issues.
Test and Maintain Your Water Heater
You’ll never appreciate a hot shower or the ability to run a piping-hot bath more than when the outdoor temperature plummets. When you schedule a whole-house plumbing inspection, schedule water heater maintenance, too. This is a great time to have your water heater inspected and flushed. Our plumbers can replace your water heater’s worn anode rod, test its temperature, and inspect your pressure relief (TPR) valve.
Maintain Your Water Treatment Equipment
San Jose’s primary water supply comes from mineral-rich, underground sources. As a result, the water piped into San Jose homes is hard. Heavy concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium take a toll on water heaters. This can also affect the taste, smell, and safety of the water that people drink, bathe in, and cook with. Like many locals, you might have a whole-house water softener. If you do, fall is a good time to maintain it.
For locals who use whole-house water filters, it’s important to include these appliances in whole-house plumbing inspections. You can change your filter cartridge, clean the filter housing, and have our team sanitize the entire system.
We help homeowners in San Jose maintain healthy, high-functioning plumbing systems year-round. We offer comprehensive plumbing inspections, drain and sewer line cleaning, sump pump maintenance, and more. If you need help getting your plumbing system ready for autumn, get in touch with Ribbs Plumbing Services in San Jose today.
