It’s summertime in Chicagoland, which means it’s time for planning backyard barbecues, hosting pool parties, and spending more time relaxing at home with family and friends. With all of the extra traffic in your home and yard, however, it’s common for plumbing problems to come up over the summer.

If you’ve noticed that plumbing issues are more prevalent over the summer months, you’re not alone. In fact, the summertime is typically the busiest time of the year for residential plumbing services at Four Seasons Plumbing and Sewer, when sudden overuse of home plumbing systems can cause an increase in plumbing disasters.

The team of professionals at Four Seasons Plumbing and Sewer understands that the last thing you want this summer is to deal with unexpected, problematic plumbing problems. That’s why we’ve put together this list of plumbing tips to help you prepare, prevent, and handle any plumbing issues that come your way so that you can enjoy a long and relaxing summer season.

1. Prevent Summer Sprinkler Problems

Over the summer, homeowners are more motivated than ever to keep their lawns lush and green. Make sure that your sprinklers are functioning properly before summer starts to prevent possible breakdowns—especially if you suddenly start watering more often.

If you find that there are problems with your sprinklers, such as leaking sprinkler heads or flooding, call a professional plumbing service to evaluate the problem for you. Chances are, your issue can be fixed by simply tightening a few loose parts or adjusting the controls. If there’s a bigger problem, however, quick servicing can prevent a costly and devastating problem later on—like sewer backflow, pipe damage, or a faulty water line.

2. Monitor Your Toilets

Over the summer, we tend to use our toilets more often—especially if you have kids home for the summer or enjoy entertaining guests. The trick is to give your toilets regular, proper maintenance, including before the start of the summer season.

Start by cleaning your toilet frequently with a special cleaner—or make your own mild solution with white vinegar and water. Open the lid and check that the parts are all working smoothly, including the flapper and fill valve, and replace them if necessary.

Finally, don’t ignore toilet issues. If you hear your toilet running constantly or there’s water flooding at the base of the toilet, there’s a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Waiting any longer won’t solve the issue, and it will only make matters worse as the summer days pass by.

3. Check Your Sewer Pipes

One of the most dramatic sewer problems you can have over the summer—or at any time during the year—is a clogged sewer pipe. A clogged sewer pipe will make flushing waste impossible, leading to a costly, messy, and unsanitary disaster.

Avoiding a catastrophe starts with early prevention. Don’t dump cooking oils down the drain or flush non-biodegradable objects like wrappers, napkins, baby wipes, or paper towels down the toilet. Unfortunately, some sewer pipe blockages are beyond our control, and these blocks can be caused when tree roots grow into your pipelines or your pipes have simply grown old and are prone to cracking.

In these cases, call a professional plumbing service like Four Seasons Plumbing and Sewage to diagnose the problem. Some of the signs of a blocked sewage pipe include clogged toilets, noisy drains, or sewage smells in your bathroom or around the property.

4. Maintain Your Water Heater

With more people at home all day, water heaters undergo a lot of stress over the summer months. It’s important to keep your water heater running as efficiently as possible during this time to avoid poor performance and a possible breakdown of your equipment.

Water heaters, like most of our household appliances, need regular maintenance every six months or so. If you haven’t taken the time to flush out the tank and check the pressure valve in a while, the start of the summer season is the best time to do it.

As a leading Chicago plumber, Four Seasons Plumbing and Sewer is committed to providing our customers with top-rated, superior residential plumbing services over the summer and throughout the rest of the year. For more helpful plumbing tips on home maintenance, or to find out more information regarding our services, give our team a call today. You can also request a fast, in-home pricing estimate for your plumbing needs by filling out our online form.