Heat Damaging your Plumbing? Common Hot Weather Plumbing Problems

When most people think about heat-related issues in their homes, they immediately think of the air conditioner being on the fritz. After all, nobody wants to sit around in a house that feels like the shore of a swamp.

However, hot weather can also cause some plumbing issues that are difficult to deal with for the average homeowner. While you may be more worried about your AC, your plumbing should be a top priority now if you don’t want big repair bills later.

Keep reading to learn more about how a heat wave can damage your plumbing and what you can do about it.

Clogged Drains

Whether you spend the summer hosting barbecues and cookouts for your friends, family, and neighbors, or you just love enjoying the sunshine with the people you care about, warm weather means entertaining for most people in the US. While entertaining can certainly be a lot of fun, it can also mean that your pipes are getting used much more frequently than normal.

In fact, one of the most common reasons people need to call a plumber in the summer months is a stopped up toilet fixture or sink after a party or barbecue. If you end up with a clogged drain, you can try boiling water and store bought drain cleaners to clear minor clogs.

Those same backyard barbecues and dinner parties can also lead to clogged garbage disposals. Fibrous and starchy foods like corn, rice, celery and bread, as well fatty foods like steak scraps can quickly clog garbage disposals.

Boiling water can help flush some clogs, though you may need to repeat the process two or three times. Chemical cleaners designed for garbage disposals can also be helpful, but they usually can’t loosen stubborn clogs.

Tips & Insights: How to Remove Dirt & Contaminants From A Central Air Conditioner

Leaks

Most people think leaks are going to be a problem in the fall and winter months when your pipes are likely to become frozen. However, leaks can definitely occur in the warm summer months because of stress.

The reason pipes leak in the summer is that swimming pools, garden hoses, and sprinklers can put a lot of stress on your plumbing. The ground under your home drying out with a lack of rain can also cause your water main to crack or leak when it’s particularly hot outside.

If you have an obvious leak that you can access the best thing you can do is to replace the portion of pipe that is leaking. You may need to turn your water main off to do this depending on the location of the pipe.

Structural Damage

UV rays beating down on your exposed pipes summer after summer can result in some serious damage like broken or cracked pipes. While it could take years to happen to you, the first signs of structural damage should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Replace any exposed plumbing around your home and use insulation to cover it in the future. It isn’t the heat that causes the damage, it’s the sun’s UV rays.

Tips & Insights: What Are the Signs of a Frozen Air Conditioner?

Call Your Plumber ASAP

Quick fixes like pouring boiling water down the drain may be fine for today, but when you start to notice issues with your plumbing, there’s likely something more sinister going on. To keep yourself from having to pay expensive repair bills when a plumbing catastrophe occurs, you need to schedule a visit from your plumber.

Consider getting a service plan from Bill Fenwick so we can provide your home with important routine maintenance and inspections at least once per year.