Spring Plumbing Tips

Plumbers in the local area, including Action Auger, note that the vernal equinox has come and gone, and with it, the official first day of spring. What’s the forecast for our area? Continued cold with some sun and MANY chances of precipitation – almost as if there’s been no change of season at all!

However, there are signs of spring everywhere. For example, CBC News reports that the students’ Spring Break is upon us (or just right around the corner) depending where you live because the break dates in Alberta vary by region. CBC says that “students in Calgary are off March 21 to April 4, while Edmonton students are off March 31 to April 4.” (CBC News 1)

Another sign is gardeners who are busy planning their planting. Savvy gardeners will take into account how hardy a plant has to be in order to best survive in the local weather conditions. You can find out more about the hardiness zones in our area by using the Interactive Gardening and Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Alberta. Another wise tip is to use native plants. The Alberta Native Plant Council has created a list of what those plants are and where they can be bought in an effort to “maintain the biological diversity in our province”. (ANPC 1) In the document here, the sources come first, followed by the native plant list (beginning on page 33).

A third reminder that spring weather is near is the need for spring plumbing maintenance. Caring plumbers, such as Action Auger, offer you three top tips for “spring plumbing cleaning”.

Top Tip #1 – Check your water systems for cracks and leaks. Besides visual inspection, you can note your water meter reading before going to sleep and note it again in the morning. Provided no water has been used during the night, a change in the reading points to a leak which needs attention.

Top Tip #2 – Clean up and clean out. Use vinegar or a commercial cleaning product to remove mineral deposits from shower heads. Outside, clear away any debris in and around drains, gutters, and downspouts. Relocate bird’s nests from plumbing vent pipes (and anywhere else they interfere with the water flow) to a safe, less problematic location.

Top Tip #3 – Contact your local plumbers, like Action Auger, for an inspection of water system areas which require a professional touch such as furnaces, water heaters, and sump pumps.

Then, just sit back and smell the roses – Rosa acicularis, the floral emblem of Alberta, to be exact!