Summary:Mr. Rooter Plumbing helps homeowners manage the plumbing pitfalls when renovating cabins and seasonal homes:
|
Buying a cabin or seasonal home can mean long, joyous vacations with loved ones and no early checkout times. However, it can also mean significant renovations to ensure it suits your future needs, and possible plumbing pitfalls.
It’s not uncommon to encounter a range of problems and challenges like outdated plumbing, septic system surprises, frozen pipe damage, and hidden leaks. Cabins and vacation properties can also be more at risk of plumbing issues and related damage because they sit unused for months at a time.
If you’re in the process of renovating or buying a vacation property, here are some of the most common plumbing challenges to be aware of and what you can do about them.
Start with a Plumbing Inspection Before You Renovate
You’re dealing with many unknowns as renovations get underway. You won’t always know whether your existing plumbing system can handle renovations. You may not even know the condition or type of pipes you have. That’s why a plumbing inspection is invaluable.
Using a range of advanced tools, such as plumbing video cameras, acoustic equipment, and hand tools, plumbers perform a comprehensive inspection of your plumbing system to find current and possible future issues and provide tailored maintenance solutions.
Outdated Plumbing
Outdated plumbing is one of the first things you should address when performing seasonal home renovations. As you’re not there all the time to know when plumbing issues have struck, a plumbing system consisting of modern, reliable, and compatible materials can offer much-needed peace of mind. If your home currently has galvanized steel, lead, or old polybutylene pipes, there can be a high risk of leaks, corrosion, and contamination.
When performing a plumbing remodel, test the water to ensure its safety and hire an experienced plumber to replace old pipes with PEX pipes.
Frozen and Burst Pipes
If your seasonal home or cabin is in an area with cold and harsh winters, frozen and burst pipes are something you’ll want to keep in mind. Homes you don’t live in full-time can be particularly at risk when they spend much of the time unheated. Any water left in your pipes has the potential to freeze, expand, and burst your pipes.
The good news is that you can take several measures to reduce the risk of frozen pipes being a problem. Start by insulating your pipes with materials like rigid foam, flexible elastomeric foam, rubber pipe insulation, or polyethylene plastic foam. Adding insulation to your cabin or seasonal home can help keep the pipes warmer.
If your cabin will be vacant during the winter, follow these steps to winterize it:
- Shut off the main water supply
- Drain the water heater and all pipes
- Add antifreeze to toilets and drains
- Insulate any exposed pipes
- Check for leaks and seal gaps
Septic System Issues
Many vacation homes in remote locations have septic systems. As you’re not at the property full-time, you don’t always notice the signs that a septic system isn’t working at its best, like gurgling sounds, foul smells, and lush green grass.
If you don’t know the condition of your septic system before undertaking property renovations, and know that seasonal use can mask slow-forming issues, request a septic system inspection from a trusted plumbing professional. You can learn about and begin fixing septic system issues like draining problems, undersized tanks, and failing leach fields.
Regular septic tank pumping can also be crucial to prevent issues and maintain a healthy and functional septic system.
Well Water Woes
If you’ve noticed low water pressure, high electricity bills, and changes in water quality at your cabin, it’s time to inspect your private well. Wells can experience many problems when not used for extended periods, like sediment build-up, pump issues, and contamination.
When your plumbing remodel gets underway, plan a well inspection with a trusted plumber. They can inspect your well, perform water well pump services, and help you put measures in place to ensure the water supply to your home is clean and safe. At a minimum, you may like to explore UV treatment or filtration.
Plumbing Leaks
If you’ve replaced your outdated plumbing, your risk of plumbing leaks is significantly reduced. However, other factors can play a role in plumbing failure, like rodents.
Depending on where your seasonal home is, it can attract critters that chew through water supply lines. Reduce the risk of rodent visitors by using rodent-resistant insulation on your pipes and sealing any gaps that could provide them access.
Code Compliance Problems
A cozy cabin getaway offers a welcome break from modern life, but that simple lifestyle can come with unexpected plumbing challenges. When problems arise, it’s not uncommon for DIYers to devise makeshift solutions that aren’t necessarily up to code. This can be problematic when those solutions involve plumbing systems.
As your home remodel gets underway, prioritize bringing in a licensed and insured plumber early. They can address issues to help bring your plumbing systems up to code, such as drain slopes, venting, pipe compatibility, and fixture spacing.
Renovate Your Cabin Confidently with Help from Mr. Rooter Plumbing®
Whether you’re dealing with frozen pipes or low water pressure, or need help with a complete plumbing remodel, reach out to your locally owned and operated Mr. Rooter Plumbing® today. Our experienced team is here to offer comprehensive plumbing solutions for all properties, be it a seasonal home, your everyday home, or a business.
