The winter period is a time to expect below-freezing temperatures that may likely affect your plumbing system. Plumbing problems always come unexpectedly as a result of water inside the pipes that freezes, making them swell and resulting in a pipe burst.
It is obvious you can’t avoid winter weather, that is why we have taken our time to write some tips to help you avoid costly winter plumbing problems.
1. Locate Exposed Pipes
The first step you need to take is to locate pipes that are exposed. Because exposed pipes are the first to freeze during winter. Check places like basements, garages and even below your bathroom and kitchen cabinets.
2. Isolate or Insulate Your Pipes
Insulating pipe sleeves and protective insulation coating prevent freezing, lower energy and bring down heat loss. When you finish your winter plumbing insulation task, your biggest investment will be your time.
3. Ensure To Drain Outdoor Plumbing
Do yourself good to drain all the plumbing systems in your spa, pool, and sprinklers that can cause freezing problems. Remember you cannot heat the pipes, so draining the water is the only situation here.
4. Improve Your Home Insulation
When you isolate your attic, crawl spaces and basement, you keep heat throughout your house. This additional heat reduces your water plumbing freeze risk.
5. Keep Your Home Warm
Ensure Your thermostat is not lower than 55 degrees, even when you are not at home. The additional cash you spend on energy is a lot slower than the cost to replace burst pipes that freeze.
6. Don’t Close Cabinet Doors
Cabinets that are closed keep cold air in and warm air out. When outside temperatures are insufficiently cold, open your cabinet doors to enable warm air to circulate in your home.
7. Ensure Your Faucets Work
Once the temperature is below freezing, open your faucets to drip through your pipes steadily. Water that is not flowing is more likely to freeze than flowing water.
8. Ensure Someone Help Check Your House If You Won’t Be Around During Winter
To prevent water from flooding your house while away during winter as a result of a burst pipe, tell a trusted neighbor, family member or friend to help check your house once in a week.
9. Use A Space Heater
If you have an area with uncoated pipes, make use of a space heater. Just warm a little to avoid pipes from freezing. This is an immediate solution until the pipes are properly insulated.
10. Hire A Local Plumber To Inspect Your Home’s Plumbing System
Identifying pipes that are in danger of freezing does not require much technique, but if you feel you don’t have the time to do that, you can click here….to hire one of our local plumbers to inspect your home plumbing system. A Local Plumber will easily detect pipes in danger and quickly suggest a lasting solution.
11. Pack Up Your Garden Hose
Do not by any means leave your hose that is connected to your house plumbing during winter outside. The water inside the pipes can form ice and freeze connecting pipes.
Conclusively, the winter period is unavoidable, but if you follow the 11 steps listed above, I am sure you will avoid costly winter plumbing problems.