Most of us consider summer as a time for fun. Whether you’re traveling, relaxing or entertaining, you won’t want summer
plumbing problems to ruin your recharge time. So, here we’ll explore some of the most common situations and how you can avoid them this summer.
Outdoor Fun Can Cause Indoor Mess
Whether you’re spending your summer days on hiking trails, hitting the beach or having fun with ATVs, it’s likely that this will involve more dirt at the end of the day. Unfortunately, when you’re washing up after you get home from your adventures, this additional dirt can cause some significant issues with your plumbing. Domestic drains are not designed to handle a large volume of gravel, mud or sand, and can, therefore, become clogged. You need to ensure that you try to keep the worst of this dirt out of your drains, so try to hose yourself, the kids and any pets off in the yard and remove any debris from your clothes before they go in the washing machine.
Don’t Feed Your Garbage Disposal Summer Foods
Garbage disposals work very hard throughout the year, but they can run into problems in summer. Summer cookouts and barbecues can create additional food waste that can be a challenge for your disposal. Corn cobs and husks, banana peels, artichokes and celery strings can cause your disposal to jam up, and you should never put any bones or fat from your grilling session down the disposal. If in doubt, throw it out by keeping a garbage can handy, so that you don’t risk any of these problem items going in the disposal.
Consider Summer Shedders
Most cats and some dogs shed throughout the year, while others shed their bulky winter coat in late spring or early summer. Regardless of your pet’s breed schedule, you’ll need to prevent this hair from clogging up your pipes can causing a backup.
There are some simple tips to avoid excess pet hair going into your washing machine or tub drain. Firstly, be sure to brush regularly to prevent hair being carried on your clothing and linens. You should also think about bathing your pet outdoors. Summer is the perfect time to set up a pet bath in the yard, and this will stop pet hair going down your tub drain. If this is not possible, consider installing a trap to catch any fur or debris before it is washed away. Finally, pre-rinse your pets, especially if they are dirty. Fur can trap a lot of sand, mud, and gravel that you won’t want inside your drains.
Sprinkler Care
Summer is the busiest season for your sprinklers, so it is vital that they have the proper care. If you’ve already had your sprinkler system inspected in the spring after disuse over winter, you’re a step ahead. Even if you’ve had an inspection, there are still things to keep an eye on. Firstly, you should watch where you are mowing. Any above ground sprinkler heads can be easily damaged by your mower blades, and they can even cause damage to your mower. You should also keep an eye on your pets when they’re in the garden. The tubing and other bits of plastic can be very interesting to pets and can be treated like a chew toy, causing massive amounts of damage.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
