Summer’s here in Virginia, and you know what that means, backyard barbecues along the James River, pool parties, and that cousin from out of town who always shows up unannounced.
While having friends and family over is one of the best parts of summer, your plumbing might not be feeling the love.
The stats don’t lie: 66% of homeowners experience plumbing problems during summer months, and it’s not just coincidence. When you’ve got extra people using your bathrooms, washing their hands more often, and doing loads of laundry, things can go sideways fast. Nearly a third of homeowners see their water bills spike due to summer plumbing issues, while 27% report actual property damage. Ouch.
While many homeowners initially point fingers at their irrigation systems when they notice higher water bills, the reality is usually more complex. Summer plumbing issues typically stem from a combination of factors – increased indoor usage, higher water pressure demands, and yes, sometimes irrigation problems too. It’s rarely just one culprit!!
Here’s the thing: your plumbing system was designed for your family’s normal usage. Throw in a few houseguests, and suddenly you’re asking it to handle way more than it signed up for.
The Toilet Takeover
Let’s start with the obvious culprit: your poor toilets. Toilets tend to take a beating during the summer as homes are filled with kids on summer break and plenty of houseguests. More people means more flushes, and unfortunately, not everyone knows your toilet’s quirks.
Maybe your guest bathroom has that finicky handle you have to jiggle just right. Or perhaps your 5-year-old nephew decides to see if an entire action figure collection is “flushable.” Items like wipes (even the “flushable” ones), cotton balls, and feminine products don’t dissolve readily, leading to serious clogs. And here’s a fun fact: too much toilet paper is one of the most common reasons behind recurring toilet clogs, since Americans often use several times the amount they actually need.
Your best defense? Put a small trash can in every bathroom and maybe a friendly note about what shouldn’t go down the drain. Trust us, it’s less awkward than having to fish a toy dinosaur out of your pipes. When toilet troubles do arise, our professional toilet repair services can get things flowing smoothly again.
The Laundry Marathon
Summer houseguests come with baggage, literally. Beach towels from Virginia Beach trips, swimsuits, extra clothes, and that inevitable load of “I spilled barbecue sauce on everything I own.” Every parent knows how much time they spend in their laundry room during summer, washing play clothes, baseball uniforms, and sanitizing towels dirtied by an uptick in houseguests.
Your washing machine wasn’t built for this marathon. Washing machines get put to the test during summer months, and leaks are the most prevalent problem. Plus, when your machine is working overtime, the washing machine’s heavy water usage can cause backups in all of your house’s drains if you have a large clog somewhere in the system.
The solution? Spread out the laundry loads, and maybe gently suggest that Aunt Martha doesn’t need to wash her entire vacation wardrobe the second she walks through your door. If you notice any leaks or backup issues, our leak detection and repair services can identify and fix problems before they cause water damage.
Shower and Drain Drama
Summer equals more showers. Beach days at Westmoreland State Park, pool parties, sweaty afternoons in the Virginia humidity…everyone wants to rinse off. But here’s where things get messy: washing away sand and sunscreen may be refreshing for your body, but it can wreak havoc on your drain lines, causing blockages that make your shower or bathtub drain slowly or become hopelessly clogged.
And it’s not just the sand. Summer showers can block drains with sand and grit, plus hair and other debris that might obstruct the flow. When you’ve got multiple people using the same shower, that hair buildup happens fast.
Consider asking your guests to rinse off at outdoor showers when possible, and invest in some good drain guards. If your drains are already running slow, professional drain cleaning and clog removal can clear things up quickly.
The Sewer Line Stress Test
Here’s the scary part: all this extra usage can stress your entire system. Houseguests, extra laundry, and bathing can increase the workload of the septic system, and when your sewer lines are already working harder, other problems become bigger issues.
Virginia’s summer storms can be intense, and summer rain can get into sewer pipes through cracks and cause the sewer line to back up, and tree roots that spread underground during spring can crack pipes. Add heavy usage from houseguests, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Signs of sewer line trouble include water from the toilet backing up into the bathtub drain.
When sewer issues arise, you need professional sewer line inspections and repairs to diagnose and fix the problem before it gets worse.
The Kitchen Chaos
Summer entertaining means more cooking, and that means more opportunities for plumbing problems. Summer BBQs and dining can lead to serious problems when cooking oils and grease go down the drain, causing clots, and hard fruits and vegetables can lead to stubborn clogs while damaging garbage disposal blades.
When you’re hosting, it’s easy to get careless about what goes down the drain. But summer fruits and vegetables can create disposal problems due to their fibrous textures—corn husks from those Richmond farmers market finds, celery, artichokes, any fruit with seeds or pits, and popcorn kernels don’t belong in the garbage disposal.
Protecting Your Pipes
The good news? Most of these problems are totally preventable. 60% of homeowners who don’t perform summer plumbing maintenance pay between $200 and $499 for repairs, money that could’ve been saved with a little prep work.
Here’s what smart homeowners in the Kilmarnock, Richmond, and Ashland areas do: they schedule professional plumbing maintenance before the summer guest season kicks into high gear. With our G-Club VIP Maintenance Membership plan, we save you the prep work by providing comprehensive plumbing inspections that catch small issues before they become expensive disasters. Our licensed technicians check everything from faucets and drains to water pressure and shut-off valves, giving you peace of mind for the busy summer months ahead.
If you’re already dealing with slow drains, leaks, or weird noises, don’t wait. Our comprehensive plumbing repair services include everything from leak search and pipe repair to fixture installations and water heater services. We can get you back up and running fast, so your summer gathering doesn’t turn into a plumbing disaster.
The Bottom Line
Your houseguests don’t mean to wreck your plumbing, they’re just doing normal summer stuff! But normal summer stuff, multiplied by extra people, can add up to big problems. A little preparation goes a long way toward keeping your pipes happy and your summer stress-free.
At Gilman Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, we’ve been helping Virginia families keep their homes comfortable and functional for years. We understand how summer entertaining can stress your plumbing system, and we’re here to help with everything from routine maintenance to emergency repairs.
Don’t let plumbing problems crash your summer party. Contact us today to get your system ready for whatever summer throws at it, including your in-laws.