Waters properties allow for it to expand when it freezes. No matter the type of piping (metal or plastic) that water travels through, it puts immense pressure on the piping. Pipes that freeze will be due to: severe cold (example: outdoor hoses, swimming pool supply lines) and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas such as basements, crawl spaces, attics and kitchen cabinets. A pipe burst can cause unwanted damages and unneeded expenses when there are ways to help prevent the issue. Here are three measures you can take to help prevent these problems.
Draining of Pipes
Drain water lines that will not be needed during the cold season such as outdoor hoses and swimming pool lines. Keep the outside valves open to allow the remaining water to expand without breaking the pipe. We recommend performing this task once the temperature starts dropping below 40 degrees.
Insulation of Pipes
Install insulation such as pipe sleeves,heat tape, heat cables on exposed water pipes. These will be the pipes in your attic, crawlspace and basement. If you decide to do this on your own, make sure to not damage the pipes while installing the insulation. If you would like a professional to perform this for you, please contact our office and schedule an appointment.
Preventative Measures
Once preventative measures, the steps mentioned above, have occurred keep these tips in mind during the cold season.
- Try and keep garage doors closed if you have any water supply lines in there. This will prevent them getting exposed to the elements.
- Open any kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around pipes and warm them up.
- When the weather drops very low, allow cold water drip from the faucet. This will allow water to run through the pipe and help to prevent pipes from freezing.
For more detailed information on how to help prevention of pipes freezing, contact our office and we will gladly answer any question you may have. To see a video of our crew in action from the past winters helping to fix frozen and burst pipes, click here.