With summer quickly approaching, here on Lake Travis people are getting ready for family vacations, lake days, clear skies and time off from the busyness of everyday life. Lake Travis is the most visited freshwater destination in Texas and has so many fun recreational things to do. Why spend your time worrying about plumbing issues? We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve to help keep this summer fun filled and worry free.
Make sure you take care of your home before you leave for vacation.
If you’ve got a trip coming up that will keep you away from your home, whether it’s a weekend or a week, here are some things you can do to prevent leaks, cracks and even paying for what you don’t use.
- Check any appliances that use water (washing machine, dish washer, etc.) for cracks or any loose bolts. This will prevent leaks and keep everything running correctly even while you’re away.
- Turn your water heater down before you go. You won’t be there so there’s no reason for it to be in use. Just turn the thermostat to the lowest pilot setting. In fact, some water heaters even have a vacation setting.
- Consider turning off the water and draining all pipes and tanks. This keeps you from being charged for things you’re not using.
Don’t destroy your disposal!
Certain foods can jam your garbage disposal and damage it. During your cookouts, be sure not to put these foods down the sink:
- Corn Husks/Cobs
- Celery
- Banana Peels
- Bones of any kind
- Fats from steaks and such
Clean off the fun outside!
Summer is full of sand, mud and dirt but your drains shouldn’t be. They can’t handle large amounts of sand, dirt, gravel or mud. These elements will eventually cause clogs or major damage so in order to prevent that make sure you rinse off as much as possible with a hose outside. This also pertains to washers. Rinse your clothes off before throwing them in the washer or dryer to prevent damage.
Sprinkler System Safety!
Sprinkler Systems are usually pretty simple to operate but during the summer there are so many things that could cause your sprinkler system to fail. Most people forget about their sprinklers when mowing and run them over causing a huge leak that could cost a lot of money. There is also wear with time that comes from them being outside, so make sure they are taken care of before any leaks happen.
Whatever your summer plans, you can count on GC Plumbing to be there to take care of any of your plumbing needs. We hope these tips were helpful and that you have a great summer!