Submitted by Barron Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing
While you may have put away the lawnmower for the year, don’t put up your feet just yet. As the seasons change, home maintenance is still a must, as prolonged cold, snow, and heavy rains can all take a toll on your home. From unhooking your garden hoses and covering outdoor faucets to clearing snow from your heat pump, taking your own precautions to protect your property from the elements can help prevent equipment failure, plumbing damage, flooding, and more.
As an additional layer of precaution, a cold weather plumbing inspection from the experienced Barron Plumbing team is an effective way to ensure your home is set for the season ahead. This thorough check-up includes:
- Inspection of all condensing mechanical equipment, condensate drain run, and termination.
Why? Condensate is a byproduct of the high efficiency heating process that needs to be expelled (or drained) for your furnace and/or water heater to function properly. Condensate is most often drained to the exterior, but in cases of extreme cold, that drain can become frozen and blocked. Equipment errors due to frozen condensate drains are a very common cause for plumbing service calls when temperatures reach sub-freezing levels.
- Inspection of all outdoor hose connections.
Why? Hose bibbs are one of the most vulnerable fixtures in your home when temperatures drop below freezing. Due to the way hose bibbs are constructed, they won’t show signs of damage until they are used under pressure, which means trouble won’t surface until temperatures warm back up. Replacements of hose bibbs in our area are extremely common in the spring due to damage caused by winter cold.
- Inspection of exposed water lines.
Why? Any exposed waterlines are at risk of freezing, which can cause costly leaks or breaks in your plumbing system. Our team will inspect the water lines in your crawl space, in your attic, inside your cabinets, and at your water heater to ensure that all lines are properly insulated and located away from direct exposure.
- Verification that irrigation systems are isolated and shut down for the winter.
Why? If not properly protected and shut down, irrigation lines can freeze, causing costly repairs and high water bills if not found quickly.
- Confirmation of main water shutoff location.
Why? Whether it’s due to a burst pipe, water heater failure, or an appliance malfunction, if an emergency does happen, it is imperative to know how to shut off your water.
- Providing a detailed report and recommendations.
Why? We strive to be a team of knowledge and support that you can rely on. All cold weather inspections will conclude with a detailed report that includes photos and explanations of findings, as well as recommendations for any further services if found.
Whether it’s due to plugged drains or burst pipes, plumbing companies experience 50% more calls during the holiday season. And it’s no surprise, as the demand on our systems increases in the winter months as the outside temperatures plummet. From comprehensive inspections of outdoor hose connections to exposed water lines and condensate drains, a cold weather plumbing inspection from Barron Plumbing is a smart step in home protection. For a limited time, this cold weather package is being offered for just $99.95—a small price for the prevention of plumbing emergencies that are all too common. Our team of experts are ready to help! As your Pacific Northwest home and building performance experts since 1972, we stand by our mission of improving lives.
