When the ground finally thaws in Michigan, most of us are thinking about gardens and patios, not pipes. However, your outdoor plumbing has been through a long winter, and it’s important to make sure everything is still watertight before you start heavy watering.
Checking Your Hose Bibs
The most common issue after a cold winter is a cracked outdoor faucet—or hose bib. Even if you disconnected your hoses last fall, small amounts of trapped water can freeze and expand, causing internal damage that isn’t always obvious.
To test your hose bibs:
- Inspect the exterior: Look for any visible cracks or dripping around the handle or spout.
- The “Thumb Test”: Turn the water on and place your thumb over the opening. If you can easily stop the flow of water, there’s likely a leak inside the pipe leading to the faucet.
- Check the basement: While the water is running, have someone look inside the house where the pipe enters the wall to ensure no water is spraying indoors.
Inspecting Your Sprinkler System
Before you set your timers for the season, take a walk around the yard while the zones are running. You’re looking for more than just a wet lawn.
- Look for “Geysers”: A broken sprinkler head can waste hundreds of gallons of water in a single cycle.
- Check for Soggy Spots: If one area of your lawn is consistently muddy but the heads aren’t reaching it, you might have a leak in an underground line.
- Clear the Obstructions: Over the winter, dirt or grass may have grown over the heads. A quick clearing ensures the spray pattern stays efficient.
When to Call in a Boelcke Pro
Most outdoor plumbing prep is a simple DIY task. However, if you find a leak behind a wall or a split underground pipe, it’s best to address it sooner rather than later. A quick professional fix can prevent an exorbitant water bill or potential foundation issues down the road.
Concerned that your outdoor plumbing might not be ready for the summer season? Boelcke is here to help. Just give us a call and we will be more than happy to schedule an appointment with you.
When the humidity starts to climb in Michigan, your air conditioner quickly becomes the hardest-working appliance in your home. While you can’t control the outdoor temperature, you can control how hard your system has to work to keep up.
When your air conditioner is working, it is easy to let it fade into the background. You set the thermostat, the house cools down, and you go about your day. However, behind the scenes, your system is working hard to keep up with rising temperatures.
As temperatures begin to warm up across Michigan, many homeowners are finally ready to give their furnaces a well-deserved break. After working hard all winter to keep your home comfortable, your heating system deserves a little attention before it powers down for the season. Taking a few simple steps now can help protect your furnace, improve efficiency, and make sure it’s ready to go when cooler weather returns.
When winter arrives and temperatures drop, our homes become sealed sanctuaries from the cold. Windows stay shut, doors open less often, and we rely on our heating systems to keep us comfortable. While that cozy, closed-up environment helps conserve energy and maintain warmth, it can also impact your home’s indoor air quality in ways many homeowners don’t realize.
Michigan winters put your furnace to the test. When temperatures drop, and your system is running day and night, even small issues can turn into uncomfortable (and costly) problems. The good news? A few simple steps can help keep your furnace running efficiently and reliably all winter long.
The winter season brings cozy gatherings, festive decorations, and colder temperatures across Michigan. While your heating system works hard to keep your home warm, it’s important to keep safety top of mind, especially when homes are busier and systems are running more often than usual.
Bathroom plumbing works hard every day, so it’s no surprise that issues can pop up from time to time. The good news is that many of the most common problems are easy to spot early and are often preventable. Here’s a quick guide to help you keep your bathroom running smoothly.
If you’ve been thinking about updating your home heating system, now is a great time to take action. The federal tax credit for qualifying heating upgrades, including heat pumps, is currently $2,000, but it’s set to expire on December 31, 2025.
When the Michigan summer heat kicks in, a reliable air conditioner is more than a luxury; it’s a necessity. But what happens when your system starts showing signs of trouble just when you need it most? Understanding the common symptoms of air conditioning issues can help you know when it’s time to call in the pros.