Did you hear the news? Spring’s just around the corner, and you need to prepare for it! It’s everyone’s favorite season (at least, we imagine it to be). Spring comes with warmer weather, longer days, and the promise of new beginnings, growth, and renewal: who can dislike such a combo? Well, there’s a downside to the season in question: some homeowners will have to deal with some potentially harmful effects of spring thaw on their plumbing systems. However, that’s nothing to worry about: we’ve got you covered. This article will explore how the spring thaw affects plumbing and what steps homeowners can take to prevent damage.
Wait, what is spring thaw anyway?
Now, before we dive deeper into today’s subject matter, let’s try to define the term we’ll use a lot in the article below: the so-called spring thaw is the period of the year when the snow and ice that have accumulated during the coldest season begin to melt due to changes in temperatures associated with the coming of spring. Here’s the thing: while snow and ice melt, the water will flow into rivers, streams, or lakes nearby. Even though spring thaw’s crucial for replenishing the water supply, it might do some damage to your plumbing system. Let’s consider how spring thaw affects plumbing!
How the spring thaw affects plumbing?
Without further ado, let’s see what’s the deal with the spring thaw and plumbing!
#1 The thing about septic systems
The first thing that we’ll mention might be the most obvious one: spring thaw can lead to various issues with your septic system(s). Here’s why: once snow and ice begin to melt, the water might seep into the septic system and “motivate” the tank to overflow or back up. Once that happens, various bacteria or other contaminants might end up polluting the environment, causing harm to both people and animals.
#2 What about burst pipes?
Another plumbing issue that might appear due to spring thaw is burst pipes. Once the melting process starts, the water will find its way into the ground and cause the soil to expand. This might put some good old pressure on your pipes. Eventually, this might cause them to crack or burst. Trust us; you don’t want this to happen since repairing burst piping might be expensive.
#3 Clogging of the drainage system
Lastly, spring thaw can “inspire” clog to appear in your home’s drainage system. Melting snow might attract dirt, debris, and other unwelcome things into your drainage systems. The whole situation will result in the appearance of clogs. They represent an issue one must take care of immediately since they’ll cause water backup. The latter will damage your property’s foundation and basement (that’s no good).
Now that we’ve seen the issues that might appear as a result of the spring thaw let’s see if there are things you can do to prevent them!
How to prevent spring-thaw-related plumbing issues?
It’s essential that you do some preparational tasks in order to prevent spring-thaw-related plumbing issues. If you’ve moved from a warmer climate to a colder one (for instance, you’ve relocated from Florida to New York), you need to prepare for changes. Here’s how you’ll get ready for spring in the best possible manner!
Get rid of excess snow (keep it away from your home’s foundation)
In order to prevent water from seeping into your basement and causing some hefty damage to your property, make sure you keep the snow away from your home’s foundation. Also, you might as well guarantee that your gutters and downspouts are totally clear of any debris. That way, they’ll prevent water backup.
Conduct a (professional) septic system inspection
Another thing that you, as a homeowner, can do to prevent various plumbing issues before spring arrives is to have your septic system inspected by experienced plumbing pros. For instance, if your tank needs to be pumped, professionals will do it in the fastest manner possible to prevent water overflow or backup. Aside from contacting professionals, there’s something else you can do: don’t flush any non-biodegradable materials down the toilet, as they’ll easily clog up your septic system.
Check the ground level of your yard
The next thing you’ll want to do is to check the ground level of your yard to see whether it will lead water away from your home and not towards it. Now, if you notice something’s not the way it’s supposed to be and the ground level isn’t giving you the desired result, consider landscape grading and leveling your yard.
Opt for a solid sump pump (a long-term investment)
A good sump pump is half the battle with various plumbing issues. Opting for a high-quality sump pump will help remove water from your home. It’s a long-term investment to ward against flooding. Oh, you already have a top-notch sump pump? If so, please check to see if it’s functioning in the correct manner; just so you don’t have to move your whole basement due to flooding, advise the people over at nwmoving.com. Renting out storage space because of a flooded basement won’t save you money. Quite the contrary!
Inspect your pipes and repair them (if necessary)
Before spring thaw appears at your doorstep, you should take a look at your home’s pipes to see whether they’re in need of repair. Inspect your piping for cracks or other forms of damage. If you notice something is fishy, make sure you immediately act upon it (replace or repair your pipes). Also, you might want to consider insulating your pipes. That will prevent them from freezing and bursting during the coldest part of the year.
Take good care of your hot water tank
Springtime is the best period of the year for hot water tank drainage. That’s right; you’ll want to flush out all the sediment that causes corrosion, decreases heating efficiency, and does some good damage to the lifespan of your home’s plumbing system or one of its parts, at least.
Think about your water consumption during the spring thaw
Lastly, to prevent spring thaw issues, you should monitor your water consumption during the melting period. You’ll do this to avoid overloading your plumbing system. One thing that you can do is to avoid running multiple water-related appliances (dishwasher, shower, etc.) at the same time.
Final words on the subject Okay, dear readers, so this was our take on how the spring thaw affects plumbing and what you can do about it. We’re sure that you’ll prevent most plumbing issues related to this period by following the various tips we’ve shown you above. Until next time!
