Seasonal Plumbing Checklist for Hamilton and Boone County Homes

Central Indiana can go from subzero wind chills to sticky, corn-sweat humidity in a few months, and your plumbing feels every swing. A little seasonal attention keeps most of the expensive surprises away. Here's the checklist we'd give a neighbor in Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville or Whitestown.

Fall: get ready for the first hard freeze

Fall is the most important season on this list. Most frozen hose bibs we see could have been prevented in ten minutes.

• Disconnect garden hoses before the first hard freeze. A hose left on traps water in the faucet, even on a frost-free hose bib.

• If your outdoor faucets have an inside shutoff, close it and open the outside faucet to let the line drain.

• Add insulated covers to outdoor faucets for extra protection.

• Insulate exposed pipes in garages, crawl spaces and along outside walls.

• Flush your tank water heater, or have a tankless unit descaled, before the heavy holiday use starts.

• Find your main shutoff and make sure it turns. Tag it so everyone in the house knows where it is.

Winter: keep pipes warm and water moving

• Keep the thermostat steady, including overnight and when you travel.

• On the coldest nights, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.

• Let a faucet on an outside wall drip during a deep cold snap.

• If a faucet only trickles on a frigid morning, the pipe may be partly frozen. Open the faucet and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer. Never use an open flame.

• Set your water heater to about 120°F. It's hot enough for everyday use and helps prevent scalding.

• Keep an eye on the sump pump during thaws, when melting snow can fill the pit quickly.

Spring: storm season prep

Spring rains test every basement in Hamilton and Boone counties. Get ahead of them.

• Test your sump pump by slowly pouring a bucket of water into the pit until the float lifts and the pump kicks on. It should empty the pit and shut off on its own.

• Make sure the sump discharge line is clear and drains away from the house.

• Consider a battery backup pump. Storms and power outages tend to arrive together.

• Extend downspouts so they drop water well away from the foundation.

• If your basement floor drain backed up last year, schedule a sewer camera inspection before the rainy season.

• Check outdoor faucets for leaks the first time you turn them back on. A split pipe from winter often shows up now.

Summer: maintenance while it's easy

• Replace rubber washing machine hoses with braided stainless lines.

• Look under sinks and around toilets for slow drips, stains or soft spots.

• Check the water heater's pressure relief valve discharge pipe for drips and the area around the base for moisture.

• Keep softener salt topped up. Hard water across Hamilton County is hard on heaters, faucets and fixtures all year.

• Run plenty of cold water when using the disposal, especially during cookout season.

Year-round habits

• Pour a cup of water into rarely used floor drains every month or two so the trap doesn't dry out and let sewer smell in.

• Keep grease out of the sink.

• Consider leak alarms near the water heater, washer and sump pit.

• Know where your sewer cleanout is and keep its cap snug.

For homes on well and septic

Many homes in outlying parts of Boone and Hamilton counties are on private wells and septic systems. Add these to your list:

• Listen for a well pump that turns on and off rapidly, which can point to a pressure tank or switch problem.

• Watch for pressure that drops off during showers.

• Keep the area around the well head clear and protected from freezing.

• Stay on top of septic pumping and avoid flushing wipes or grease.

When to call us

If you'd like a hand with any of this, we can walk through your home, check the items that matter most and fix anything that needs it. Our sump pump installation and repair service covers pumps and battery backups, and our well and septic team handles pressure tanks, pumps and switches. Your plumber gives you options and a price before any work starts.

FAQ

When should I disconnect my hoses and shut off outdoor faucets?

Before the first hard freeze, which in Central Indiana usually arrives sometime in late fall. It's easiest to do it when you put the lawn mower away for the season.

Do frost-free hose bibs still need attention in winter?

Yes. A frost-free faucet only works if the hose is disconnected so the water can drain out. Leave the hose on and it can freeze and split inside the wall.

How often should I test my sump pump?

Test it a few times a year, and always before spring storm season. If it's more than several years old or struggles to empty the pit, have it checked.

How often should I flush my water heater?

Once a year for most tank water heaters. With hard water, a tankless unit benefits from regular descaling too.

What water pressure is too high?

If your pressure sits above 80 PSI, fixtures and supply lines wear out faster and you may hear pipes bang. A pressure-reducing valve brings it down to a safer range.

Want a seasonal checkup? Call or text (317) 731-3028, or request a visit online.