Prevent Frozen Pipes
During the winter, temperatures can drop significantly and cause pipes to freeze in your home. This can result in a messy outcome, including low water pressure or even worse... burst pipes. As we enter the cold season, frozen pipes become a reality for many Americans living in snowy areas such as Utah. However, there are some things you can do to help avoid having your pipes freeze and avoiding a big headache for you.
1 - IDENTIFY THE WATER MAIN SHUT-OFF VALVE
Do you know where the main shut-off valve is in your home? This is critical to know in case something goes wrong with your pipes and you need to shut the water off completely to stop the flow. This is not only a good tip for winter, but for anytime. So, learn where your main shut-off valve is and how to turn it off. If the valve handle is faced parallel to the pipe when the water is on, to shut it off, you would turn it to a 90 degree angle or perpendicular to the pipe.
2 - DISCONNECT WATER HOSES FROM EXTERIOR FAUCETS
Leaving a water hose connected to your house can prevent water from being able to drain out of the hose-bib (outside faucet) going into the house and cause problems if it freezes in the line. If you have a line inside the house feeding your sprinkler system, you will want to shut off and drain that as well.
3 - ADD COVERS TO YOUR EXTERIOR FAUCETS
For only a few bucks and a quick drive to your hardware store, you can purchase covers for your faucets on the exterior of your home - they even can be ordered on Amazon. These are often referred to as freeze caps, faucet covers or hose bib covers and are made from either styrofoam, insulated nylon or plastic. They help insulate your outside faucet area and help keep it from freezing.
4 - KEEP THERMOSTAT SET ABOVE 55 DEGREES
Even if you're planning on being gone for an extended period of time, keep your thermostat at 55 degrees or higher. Never turn it off completely or it can cause the inside of your home to be really cold and allow pipes to freeze that otherwise might not.
5 - KEEP CABINET DOORS OPEN UNDER SINKS
The space under sinks can get very cold, especially in basements or along exterior walls. Keep them open when temps are really low. This helps the warm air in the room circulate around the water pipes.
6 - LET FAUCETS TRICKLE ON THE COLDEST NIGHTS
Keep the hot and cold valves slightly open to keep water flowing on really cold nights. It should be just a trickle (more than a drip) but not a lot of water flowing. Also, the water shouldn’t be left on for a long time.
7 - KEEP YOUR GARAGE DOOR CLOSED
If you have a garage with water pipes running through it, keep the garage door close as much as possible to keep cold air from coming inside and making the overall temperature in the garage lower.
8 - SEAL AIR LEAKS
Cold air can get in around doors and windows. Using caulking or insulation can help reduce heat loss from those areas. Also insulating attics, crawlspaces and basements is a good idea to help keep temperatures consistent.
9 - INSTALL PIPE SLEEVES OR HEAT CABLE
Take an additional step to insulate your exposed pipes from the elements by wrapping them in installation. This is a DIY project with materials that be purchased from your local hardware store at a very affordable cost. Another method for warming pipes is by using heat cable or heat tape. Since this is more than a typical DIY project you may want to consult your local plumbing company. By keeping the pipes warm, through either pipe sleeves or heat cables, water is less likely to drop to freezing temperatures.
If despite doing any of these tips, your pipes do become frozen, call a licensed plumber to come take a look at them. Sometimes, after a pipe is thawed, there are leaks that are discovered. Leaks can cause detrimental plumbing problems and result in harmful mold. It is vital that a homeowner employ a professional plumber to fix leaks as soon as they arise. Additionally, a plumber can keep the drain clean so that the drains do not cause any additional problems.
During the winter season, it can be tricky to keep a home from falling victim to the cold weather’s consequences that include frozen pipes; however, this can be prevented with some of these helpful tips and the services that a professional expert plumber offers.
Dec 2nd 2016
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