Plumbing tips to get your home summer ready: Outdoor tap, hose & water checks

From watering the plants to keep your garden looking its best, to filling up a paddling pool for the kids to make a splash during the holidays, it's important to check your outdoor taps, hose pipes and water supply in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe. 

BHE's expert plumbers have put together a guide on essential outdoor tap, hose pipe and water checks you should do before the summer months arrive. 

Plumbing tip 1: Check your outdoor taps & hose pipes for cracks, leaks & damage

You may have already noticed a dripping from the spout, or maybe there are damp patches on the wall behind your tap. 

Be aware: leaky and damaged outdoor taps and hoses can cause your water bills to skyrocket. One drip coming from your outdoor tap each second can waste up to 20 litres of water per day! A constant leaking outdoor tap can also damage the walls of your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe home - if water soaks through, it can cause damp patches or even flooding. 

BHE's expert plumbers recommend you visually inspect your outdoor tap and hose pipe before you turn it back on this summer. Simply assess the pipe work for any cracks, corrosion or wear and tear, and check the brickwork and inside wall directly behind the tap for any damp patches, moss or rot. 

If you want to go a step further, you can turn all the water off in your household, wait for an hour and check your water meter hasn't increased. If the meter has increased, your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe home may have a hidden leak in its pipework. Get in touch with BHE's local plumbers in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe to investigate the problem further and repair your home in no time. 

Plumbing tip 2: Check your plumbing to protect your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe home from contaminated drinking water

Did you store your hose pipe in the dry over winter? If not, and your hose was submerged in a pond, bucket of water or perhaps the paddling pool that was left out in the garden from last year, it's important you check your double check valve. 

Under UK Regulations, all outdoor taps must be protected by a double check valve, which is a device connected to your outdoor tap to prevent water backflow. If the valve is not present or damaged, outside water can be vacuumed back into your hose and its water supply, which can contaminate your drinking water. 

With cold, heavy and wet weather conditions in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe over winter, it's possible that your double check valves were susceptible to cracks, corrosion and damage. The easiest way to check your double check valve is to simply assess the main valve body visually - if you see cracks or bulging, you must replace it as soon as you can to prevent any contamination in your home's drinking water. 

BHE's expert plumbers also recommend you turn on your tap to clear out any grit or sand that may prevent the seal from closing properly. Simply turn it on for a few seconds and let it run, especially before you reconnect it to your hose pipe. 

Plumbing tip 3: Check your outdoor tap & hose pipe for freeze damage

After a chilly winter in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe, it's possible that the water trapped in your outdoor tap and hose pipe froze and caused your pipework to burst or crack, which may lead to flooding and damage to your home. 

Even if there is no visible flooding inside your home, BHE's trusted local plumbing and heating team recommends that you visually check your outdoor tap for any cracks, corrosions or damage caused by freezing over the winter. We also recommend that you turn it on before using it for the first time this summer, assessing the water flow, listening for hissing noises and testing the water pressure. Check your hose pipe visually as well, unrolling it fully to make sure there are no bulges or cracks, and running the water to check for pinhole leaks. 

If you spot any cracks, bursts or damage from your outdoor tap, get in touch with BHE's Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe plumbing experts for a quick repair or replacement, getting your outdoor water supply working just in time for the summer.

Replace your outdoor tap if it is burst, cracked or damaged due to frozen water from the cold winter with BHE's expert plumbers in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster & Morecambe

Plumbing tip 4: Test your outdoor tap's water pressure at your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe home

Why have an outdoor tap if barely any water comes out? Our final recommendation when checking your outdoor tap is to assess the water pressure, which is an important part of your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe's home. We know how inconvenient it is to be stood around for ages when watering your plants, or your kids having to wait impatiently until the paddling pool has filled up before they can play in it, but this can happen if your water pressure is low. 

Water pressure determines the movement of water through your pipes, which ultimately pushes the water out of your taps, showers and toilets. To test the water pressure coming from your outdoor tap, place a litre measuring jug underneath and time how long it takes to fill it up. Your water pressure should allow you to fill at least 10 litres per minute, meaning your litre jug should fill in under 6 seconds. If your jug takes longer to fill, this may be a sign that your system has a low water pressure. 

If so, BHE's exert plumbers can respond quickly to your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe home, saving you time and money by quickly identifying and resolving the problem, letting you get on with your outdoor tasks and activities during the summer. 

Get your plumbing & heating jobs for summer booked in now with BHE's local plumbers in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster & Morecambe!

Part of the Which? Trusted Trader RJ Martindale Group, BHE’s team of gas engineers and plumbers in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe has over 50 years' experience in delivering reliable boiler, heating and plumbing services with outstanding customer service, helping you get your home ready for the summer. 

There are many risks of leaks and wasting water if your outdoor tap or hose pipe is damaged, or if your water pressure is too low or too high. We recommend that you call BHE's highly-skilled and helpful plumbers to check, repair or replace your outdoor water system at your Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe home to get the job done right as soon as possible, allowing you get on with your summer tasks and activities.

Get your plumbing & heating jobs for summer booked with BHE's local plumbers