Spring doesn't ease in for plumbers — it arrives all at once. One week you're wrapping up the last heating calls, and the next you've got a full board of outdoor line reactivations, flooding callbacks, and irrigation startups. Getting ahead of it means having the right parts on hand before your customers are standing in water.
Here's a rundown of what moves this time of year and why.
Freezeless Wall Hydrants
First warm weekend, homeowners go to hook up the garden hose and realize their outdoor spigot is cracked, dripping, or just plain done. Prier's C-144 Diamond series freezeless wall hydrants are a solid go-to — anti-siphon vacuum breaker built in, available in multiple stem lengths, and priced reasonably enough that it's worth keeping a couple on the truck. Plumbing Planet has them in stock with sale pricing right now.
Backflow Preventers
Spring is when irrigation systems come back online, and that means backflow preventer installs and replacements pick up fast. WATTS has a strong lineup — the 9D series inline units in ½" and ¾" are the workhorses, and the 911 combination fill valve and backflow preventer is a clean solution for boiler fill applications. Stock up before the irrigation rush makes them hard to find.
Sump Pumps and Backup Systems
March through May is ground saturation season in most of the Northeast. If a customer's primary pump hasn't been tested since last year, they're gambling. Now's the time to talk backup systems. Liberty Pumps' SumpJet is a water-powered backup — no battery to maintain — and it's a good sell for customers who've been burned by dead batteries during a power outage. For customers who want battery backup, Liberty's 441 system covers it. Zoeller's Basement Sentry 507 is another reliable option for automatic backup coverage.
For crawl space jobs, the Zoeller 108 Crawl Space pumping system is purpose-built for low-clearance installs where a standard sump pump doesn't work.
Effluent and Dewatering
Spring thaw brings saturated yards, flooded crawl spaces, and construction site dewatering. The Zoeller M53 Mighty-Mate is one of the most-used submersible pumps in the trade for good reason — it handles effluent and dewatering duty without complaint. Good one to keep on the shelf.
Well Pumps
Shallow well jet pumps are a spring staple in rural markets. Goulds J-series pumps (both the J7S and J10 convertible) are perennial sellers. Heads up — those are currently showing sold out on Plumbing Planet, so if you need them, get on the waitlist or check availability directly.
Everything listed above is in stock and ships from Plumbing Planet with free shipping on orders over $50. Browse the full Spring Plumbing collection for the complete lineup.