5 Plumbing Issues To Watch Out For During The Autumn Season

Leaves are starting to fall, you are surrounded by orange and brown colors, and pumpkins will soon be everywhere. These signal the beginning of autumn, where each of those months brings new experiences unique to this season. Among all those are fall-related plumbing issues.

Despite how it’s a staple in every household, it’s also true that most homeowners don’t fully understand and realize how vital a good-functioning plumbing system is until they start experiencing problems. The autumn season might be magical and beautiful, but it’s also cold. Imagine what a bummer it would be to wake up to freezing cold water, and your heaters suddenly don’t work. 

Did you know that even seasonal changes can bring about some plumbing problems? This article will give you a run-down of the most common plumbing issues that typically arise once fall starts to come. 

Plumbing Issues – Dripping Faucets 

Autumn or not, dripping faucets are bound to happen any time of the year. Fortunately, dripping faucets are also very easy to repair because you can easily hear and spot them. But that doesn’t mean you have to delay in addressing it. No matter how minimal the drip is, you have to take care of it immediately to avoid further issues from happening. 

Generally, minor faucet drips can be fixed using a simple O-ring or washer. When this doesn’t work, let your trusted plumber diagnose the severity of the problem, so the remedy is indeed what’s needed for the leak. Click here to start your search for a potential plumber. 

Blocked Drainage 

During fall, leaves start falling from trees and shrubs. The full bloom and growth brought about by spring are gone and now leaves fall, signaling that the outside temperature is dropping. This increase in falling leaves increases the chances of leaves flying and blowing straight to the drains, where they build up, collect, and get into your plumbing system. 

Ideally, you should’ve already taken the proactive approach of installing a drain cover to prevent debris from getting in. If you haven’t already done so, work with a plumber to do this while clearing out leaves. 

Leaky Pipes 

Leaky pipes are brought about by a variety of problems, usually encompassing: 

• Excessive water pressure; 
• Stubborn clogs; 
• Cracked seals or pipes; 
• Pipe corrosion. 

Whatever the underlying cause behind the leaky pipes is, treat this as a plumbing emergency. The longer leaky pipes are ignored, the more damage they could cause to the plumbing system and your home. 

Water Heater Issues 

Given the lower temperatures in autumn, the last thing you’d want is a dysfunctional water heater. Like dripping faucets, this is easy to spot, as it manifests through not having hot-enough water, puddles of water, leaking water, and even noises coming from the water heater itself. 

Mineral deposits or leaks usually cause water heater problems. If you don’t have a good water heater, it can quickly get overworked. Due to this problem’s complexity and danger, it’s best handled by experts. Never attempt to repair it yourself. 

Frozen Pipes 

Depending on where you’re from, temperatures towards the later part of fall can drop below freezing point. Once this happens, you’ll also notice plumbing problems related to frozen and bursting pipes. Note that even a temperature of 20 degrees or less can freeze pipes. 

Despite this being an expected situation, you can still give your pipes some layer of protection by doing the following: 

• Increasing heat in areas where you have exposed pipes by adding a pipe sleeve or heat cable; 
• Keeping cold water taps running and open once in a while to stop any water in the pipes from freezing; 
• Closing air leaks in the home so that heat doesn’t escape and freezing air doesn’t go through. 

Like the other problems above, frozen pipes are one of those that need to be addressed immediately. This starts by thawing the pipe to prevent ice build-up from damaging the lines in the plumbing system. 

The Bottomline on Plumbing Issues

As you attempt to tackle the plumbing issues above, it’s also best to take preventative measures against any other potential problems still bound to come, this time around, during winter. All thanks to higher amounts of falling debris and the dropping of temperatures, seasoned plumbers usually see a rise in plumbing complaints this time of the year. Then, regardless of the season, even the most minor plumbing issues can wreak havoc on homes if they’re not given enough attention. Keep the contact information of a plumbing company you can trust so that, whenever they’re needed, you immediately know whom to call.  

Photo by Samuel Sianipar on Unsplash