Outdoor Plumbing: Things to Consider

Maintaining outdoor plumbing is equally important as the indoor one, even though it is neglected by most people. The damage of outdoor pipes, a sewer line, or a faucet can lead to the deterioration of the house and repairs that can seriously break the bank. Additionally, protecting the environment should be our number one priority, especially if you know that a leaky hose and a faucet can waste a large amounts of the most precious resource in the world – water.

Fixing a leaky outdoor faucet

If you have a leaky outdoor faucet, there are two ways to fix it depending on the place where leaks usually occur. If you notice leaking from the handle, use a wrench to tighten a packing nut. If the problem persists, you may need to repack your packing nut, or replace a washer. In both cases, you need to remove the valve stem assembly by turning off the shut-off valve, turning on the faucet and unscrewing the handle. There are two types of washers you can replace – a washer behind the packing nut and a washer at the base of the valve stem. If the faucet is leaking from the spout, you will also need to remove the valve stem assembly.

Maintaining a sewer line

Before doing any landscaping, call a local public works department to find out where underground utilities are installed. In order to prevent tree roots from clogging pipes, you can pour chemicals, including potassium hydroxide and copper sulfate into the toilet. This solution is not eco-friendly, nor much effective. Installing metal, or wood barriers into the ground deeper than the pipe is a safe method of root control.

“If your drains often clog resulting in slow-flowing drains and a gurgling noise from the toilet, it is a sure sign that roots have damaged the sewer line”, say the people behind Pipe Perfection, “so you should have the pipes inspected with a camera to establish the extent of the damage and act accordingly.”

Cleaning a sprinkler system

Take a proactive approach to maintaining your sprinkler system and clean it every spring before its first use. Turn on the shut-off valve and let the water run for a few minutes. Turn off the valve and wait to see in what order sprinklers stop running. The one which is the last to stop running is clogged. Remove the sprayer from the sprinkler head and turn on the valve. Let the water run in order to flush out debris. Turn the water off. Now remove the sprayers from all the sprinkler heads in that station. Turn on the valve again and let the water run. When the water flushed out all debris, screw the sprayers back in.

Preparing outdoor plumbing for winter

The first thing you can do is to disconnect the hose and store it inside in order to prevent the water in the hose from freezing. Next, you should winterize your outdoor faucet. Turn off the shut-off valve and turn on the faucet to let the water drain. Invest in good insulation, such as foam, or fiber glass insulation sleeves, and wrap them around the faucet.

Another method of protecting the outdoor faucet from freezing is installing frost-free hose bibs. If you have a pool, or a pond, they should be emptied. Add chemicals to prevent algae from growing and place a cover over them. Call a professional plumber if you have an in-ground sprinkler system as it needs to be blown out with a compressor.

Most of these maintenance tips can be DIY projects, while some of them require professional help. What you can do yourself is check faucets and hoses every week to prevent leaking. In addition, every winter and summer take a close inspection of outdoor plumbing.