Why Should You Take Extra Care Of Your Running Pipes During The Winter?
Much of the country experiences freezing weather throughout the winter, and as temperatures drop, the water that supplies your home's faucets and fixtures is at risk of freezing within your pipes. Because water expands as it freezes, frozen pipes are more likely to break, causing costly water and plumbing damage throughout your house. Pipes that run against external walls and those in unheated or uninsulated areas, such as the attic, basement, or garage, are most vulnerable to freezing. Before the temperatures outside drop below freezing, it's critical to learn how to prevent frozen pipes and why it's critical to winterize your house. Continue reading to find out why you should maintain your running pipes throughout the winter, as well as a few easy methods to keep your pipes from freezing. This article will also explain what to do if you suspect your pipes are frozen and how to defrost them to avoid a worse home disaster.
Why is it important to take extra care of your running pipes?
Water has an unusual feature in that it expands when it freezes. This expansion exerts enormous pressure on whatever is confining it, including metal or plastic pipes. Expanding water can cause pipes to burst regardless of the strength of the container. Pipes that freeze the most frequently are those exposed to extreme cold, such as outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines, water supply pipes in unheated interior areas such as basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets, and pipes that run against exterior walls with little or no insulation. Whatever the pipe may be, the cost of repairing it is quite hefty and with that being said, to avoid both wasting your time and money, it is best that you take good care of your running pipes, especially during the winter.
How to prevent frozen pipes?
Disconnect Garden Hoses
After you've finished gardening for the season, you must remember to disconnect, drain, and store your hoses in whatever storage unit you may have. To drain the line, you must close any shut-off valves that supply outside hose bibs and open the faucet outdoors. Furthermore, it is important to remember that you must keep it open throughout the winter to enable any remaining water in the pipe to expand. You should also consider utilising faucet covers to protect it against frozen pipes during the colder months. In addition, it is recommended that you empty any sprinkler supply lines with the help of the manufacturer's instructions that come along with the product itself.
Insulate your Pipes
Pipe insulation is reasonably priced and frequently accessible at home improvement stores, even local ones. With that being said, you should consider insulating any pipes in unheated places like the attic, basement, crawl spaces, or garage, as this can save you lots of money, as well as the hassle of fixing any pipes that have burst due to the cold weathers. Pipes beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks are also susceptible to freezing in extreme weather, so you must consider insulating those, too. To offer a buffer against freezing conditions, liberally apply foam insulation around your pipes. Wrapping your pipes with heat tape or installing thermostat-controlled heat cables can also help keep them warm enough to avoid freezing.
Seal Air Leaks
According to various professionals, it is best to examine your home for any cracks or holes that might allow chilly air in as this can also be a cause of frozen and bursting pipes. After your inspection, you must seal any gaps around pipes in interior or exterior walls, as well as the sill plates where your house sits on its foundation. Furthermore, because keeping your garage door open is equivalent to generating a massive air leak, keep the door closed unless you're going in or out. This will not only protect your pipes, but it will protect your home overall from any exterior dangers, like harsh weather conditions and such.
Open Doors and Cabinets
During chilly spells, you must make sure that warm air can flow evenly throughout your home, whether it is your basement or the master bedroom. This will allow all the pipes in your home to receive the heat they need and prevent them from breaking due to cold temperatures. With that being said, one way to evenly distribute the heat in your home is to keep interior doors ajar and kitchen and bathroom cupboards open. If you have young children or pets, it is recommended that you remove any household chemicals or possibly toxic cleansers from exposed cabinets.
Let Faucets Drip
A trickle of water goes a long way as it helps keep ice from developing inside your pipes. By doing this, you will be emptying any leftover water stuck in your pipes, which will prevent it from freezing and forming into ice that is harmful to the structural integrity of your home. In order to do this, you should start a trickle of water from all faucets fed by exposed pipes while it's really cold outdoors. Allowing a few faucets to run gently may alleviate pressure inside the pipes and assist prevent a burst if the water inside freezes. If you have any questions about how this may affect monthly expenses, talk to your local, trusted home appliance contractor today.
Keep a Consistent Temperature
During the winter, it is crucial that you set your thermostat to keep the temperature consistent throughout the day and night. In regular weather, lowering your thermostat at night or while you're not at home can help you save money on heating, but in extreme cold, maintaining a consistent temperature is critical to keeping your pipes ice-free. It is better to spend a little more on your energy bill then having to spend much more on fixing broken pipes. If you're going to be away from home during the cold weather, you must make sure your thermostat is set to at least 12° C to avoid your pipes from freezing up. As mentioned above, the few additional dollars you'll pay on utilities will be well worth the thousands of dollars you'll save by avoiding a burst pipe.
What to do if your pipes freeze?
If you believe you have a frozen pipe, start turning on the faucet to double check if it is indeed clogged up. You most certainly have an ice blockage if only a trickle or drop of water comes out. Next, you should carefully look for any fractures or cracks in the exposed pipe. After doing so, you must go and turn off the home's main water supply if any pipes have broken, and then call a plumber right away for assistance. A frozen pipe that has already broken may leak water and damage your house if you try to defrost it. Now, if the pipe is still in place, you should turn on the faucet so that the water may flow through as the ice melts. After that, you must apply gentle heat with a heating pad, hair dryer, space heater, or warm, moist cloths to the frozen portion of the pipe. It is important to note that you should never use an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe since doing so might harm the pipe and provide a fire risk. You should call a qualified plumber immediately away if you can't reach the frozen pipe or properly defrost it.
Taking extra care of your running pipes throughout the winter season is just as crucial as taking care of other parts of your home like your windows and siding because it will save you both time and money. This is because during the winter time, the water in your running pipes can potentially freeze and if they do, they can break your pipes, which costs a lot of money to fix. By taking good care of your pipes, you are preventing all of this from happening and making your life stress-free. Some ways to prevent your pipes from freezing up include disconnecting garden hoses, insulating your pipes, sealing air leaks, opening doors and cabinets, letting faucets drip and keeping a consistent temperature in your home. If you do end up with a frozen pipe, you must be careful on how you approach the situation. If you are having any trouble with handling the problem, you must contact a qualified plumber immediately.
