For a few months out of the year, your home experiences a conflict between the plumbing inside it and the cold air outside it. Water freezing in pipes is one of the most common causes of plumbing problems, and it can cause extensive damage to flooring, furniture, and walls. It’s critical to do everything possible to avoid this situation, and here are a few tips on how to do it.
Protect Pipes
The most important thing to do is to ensure that your pipes stay well above the freezing mark. Even though your plumbing is inside your house, it can be exposed to temperatures cold enough to allow them to freeze up. Your plumber knows that once temperatures hit 32 Fahrenheit, the risk of frozen pipes becomes real. When fall rolls around, weatherproof your crawlspace and any other area where cold air can reach your pipes. Caulk the cracks, insulate larger openings, and look for any location where cold air can threaten both your pipes and your heating bill. Close foundation vents, sealing them with plastic if necessary.
Prepare for Extremes
In your part of the country, you may occasionally experience those deep-freeze spells when daytime highs may struggle to get out of the teens and lows find themselves on the wrong side of zero. On those days, you need to take action. Leave kitchen cabinets open to let heat into the area below the sink. Leave faucets dripping to keep the water moving. If you have an unheated basement, you might be able to use space heaters to raise the temperature to a safe level for pipes. Make sure to have everything planned out long before the cold snap.
Take Care of Outdoor Spigots
It’s so easy to forget your outdoor plumbing once the weather cools down and you’re no longer watering flowers or washing cars. An unprotected spigot can freeze and burst—even the frost-proof type, if it’s not properly protected. Disconnect hoses and connections from the spigot so that the last water can drip out instead of being held in by the hose. Older spigots should be covered with a protective insulator.
Winter has a way of sneaking up on you. You may think you’re several weeks away from worrying about cold temperatures only to be bombarded by an arctic blast that threatens to hit you with big bills for cleanup and repairs. Don’t take a chance on ruptured pipes in your home. Prepare for those chilly temperatures ahead of time
