Three Common Summer Plumbing Issues in Maryland and How to Deal with Them

Three Common Summer Plumbing Issues in Maryland and How to Deal with Them

Summertime should be about getting to cool off, not dealing with clogged shower drains and faulty faucets. Yet, because we tend to use a lot more water in the summer, more plumbing issues tend to pop up during this season compared to spring or autumn. And that’s without mentioning all the problems that the summer weather can bring when it’s not in the mood to bring out the sunshine. At Five Star Plumbing, the best plumbers in Harford County, MD, we’ve seen a lot of common summer plumbing issues in Maryland and we want you to know how to deal with them before they ruin your entire summer.

Basement Flooding

Maryland is very prone to flooding. In the summer, the risk is even higher – in fact, severe thunderstorms are already hitting several parts of Harford County this mid-May. 

In Harford County, the riverbed areas are more prone to flooding. However, if you own a basement in your home, it’s very likely that you’ll still be impacted by flood water even if you are located outside of common flooding zones.

Basement flooding is a common summer plumbing issue for Maryland homeowners and a hassle to deal with, since cleaning up can be a lot of work if you don’t have any sump pump installed. 

How to Fix Basement Flooding

If you don’t want to hire a plumber just yet, you can check your gutter system by yourself. Make sure that they are clean of debris and water can run off smoothly without leaking anywhere.

When you find any issue with your gutter system, get an expert to assist you in fixing or improving your plumbing system. Generally, to make a basement less likely to flood, a plumber service may check your gutter and deal with any clogging and leaks. They may also help with building a trench around the foundations of your house so rainwater would flow away from your residence. 

Faucet Leaks

In the summer, we tend to drink, shower, and wash things more often. The problem is, your water faucets may not be able to handle this extra pressure and start leaking everywhere. This, of course, would end up increasing your water bills in the long run.

Determining which part to fix can take some time since faucet leaks can be caused by many things. Typically, however, the location of the leak can tell you more about where the problem lies. 

If your faucet is leaking from the spout, you’re probably looking at a faucet handle issue. On the other hand, if your faucet leak is coming from under the sink, then it’s possible that you’re dealing with a faulty sink drain. 

How to Deal with Faucet Leaks

Some faucet leak issues, such as those involving faucet handles, can be solved by homeowners with some plumbing experience. Usually, you’ll just need to fix the washer if you have a compression faucet, or change the cartridges if you have a cartridge faucet. 

Others, though, are a bit more complicated. Sink drain issues may lead to replacing the entire sink altogether. If your faucet also runs hot water, refrain from fixing it yourself since you may risk accidentally breaking your cold and hot water system.

Clogged Garbage Disposal

Summertime means more time to spend in the sun with friends and family. And when there’s a gathering, there’s also food on the table. 

More cooking, however, means more food going down the disposal. And since you’re probably going to be a bit busier than usual, it may only take one misplaced potato peel to clog your disposal and stink up your kitchen.

How to fix clogged garbage disposal

Luckily, compared to the problems we’ve previously listed, clogged garbage disposal is quite easy to fix, even by non-plumbers. Depending on how severe the clogging is, you may not even have to use a drain snake. 

The first thing you can do is use a flashlight to see if there is any large object blocking the grinding chamber. When you find one, use a plier to remove it. If you can’t see anything that seems to be clogging your garbage disposal, you can use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to help push out any materials clogging the chamber. 

If neither of the above tips work, you may need to clean your drain trap. Consider reaching out to your local plumber if you don’t feel comfortable doing this.

About Five Star Plumbing

If you need your plumbing repaired, Five Star Plumbing will take care of it! As local plumbers, our service area includes Baltimore County and Harford County, including but not limited to Bel Air, Abingdon, Fallston, Towson, Baltimore, Parkville, Lutherville, and Timonium. We offer 2 hour appointment windows so you don’t have to wait all day – no matter where in the area that you are located. We offer many different services, including well pump services, water treatment, plumbing repair and installation, outdoor plumbing services, drain cleaning, and water heater services.