Why a calendar helps
Plumbing problems in the northeast follow the weather. Deep cold, thaw cycles, spring snowmelt and coastal storms each stress pipes and drains in a different way. A short checklist for each season catches small problems while they are still small.
This guide goes season by season. Within each season, it goes first, next, then.
Fall: before the first hard cold
First, find your main shutoff valve and turn it. If it is stiff or leaks, have it replaced before winter.
Next, deal with the outside.
- Disconnect hoses and drain outdoor spigots. Close the interior shutoff to them if you have one.
- Look at pipes in crawlspaces, garages and exterior walls. Insulate any that are exposed.
- Seal gaps where pipes enter the house near stone or block foundations.
Then check the inside.
- Test the sump pump by pouring water into the pit.
- Note the age of the water heater and flush it if the maker advises.
- Clear kitchen drains before heavy holiday cooking.
Winter: during a cold snap
The hours matter. Pipes in outside walls tend to go first, often overnight when the temperature bottoms out.
- Keep the heat on, including in rooms you rarely use.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls.
- Let a faucet at the far end of the house drip.
- Know the signs: low flow, no water, or frost on a pipe.
If a pipe is frozen, first shut off the main. Next, open the nearest faucet so melting water has somewhere to go. Then warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer or warm towels, keeping electric tools away from standing water. Never use an open flame.
If a pipe has split, leave the water off, take photos of the damage, and use the request form.
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Spring: snowmelt and storm checks
In the first weeks after the thaw, groundwater rises and older basements show their weak points.
- Look at basement walls and floors for damp spots.
- Test the sump pump again. Confirm the discharge line carries water away from the foundation.
- Clear gutters and downspouts of leaves and ice debris.
- Watch floor drains and basement fixtures for slow draining or gurgling. These are early signs of sewer line trouble.
- Check ceilings and cabinets under sinks for new stains from winter leaks.
After a coastal storm, if water backs up in a basement floor drain, stop using water in the house and contact a provider. Ask whether a backwater valve makes sense for your home.
Summer: drains and lines
Warm months are when roots grow and slow drains show up.
- If the same drain slows repeatedly, ask for a camera inspection.
- Run water in unused floor drains and fixtures so the traps do not dry out.
- Check hoses, washer connections and the spaces under sinks for slow leaks.
- Use strainers, and keep grease out of kitchen drains.
- Shut off the main if the house will be empty for a long stretch.
A simple yearly schedule
- Early fall: main valve, outdoor spigots, pipe insulation.
- Late fall: sump pump, water heater, kitchen drains.
- Deep winter: cold-snap watch and open cabinet doors.
- Early spring: basement walls, sump pump, gutters.
- Summer: drain care, leak checks, trap water.
When to bring in a provider
Some tasks are yours. Others are not. Contact a provider if you find a stiff or leaking main valve, repeat clogs, water stains that keep returning, a water heater that is old or noisy, or any sign of sewer backup. Small repairs made on a calm day usually cost less than the same repair made during a storm or a cold snap.
Promisedsuper Plumbing lists independent providers across the Pittsburgh area. Availability depends on the provider.
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