Can Frozen Pipes Be Avoided?
Do you know what steps to take to avoid one of the biggest winter plumbing problems there is? As temperatures drop and we begin to see snowfall in some areas, now is the time to do everything you can to prep your home for winter—and this includes protecting your pipes from freezing, Frozen pipes can cause significant damage, since as the water freezes, it expands and causes pressure buildup in the walls of the pipes, until they crack or rupture.
Addressing leaks or ruptured plumbing is probably an emergency you’d like to avoid this winter! The good news is, there are steps you can take that just very well may help you prevent frozen pipes. Remember though, if you do have a plumbing problem, all you need to do is get in touch with a professional Idaho Falls, ID plumber, such as a member of our team!
How to Help Avoid Frozen Pipes
Sometimes you can take all the precautions that exist and still end up with a plumbing problem. But that certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to avoid some of the biggest of plumbing emergencies, such as a case of frozen pipes. You can help avoid this problem by:
Opening Outdoor Faucets
In any home, the pipes most susceptible to freezing are naturally going to be the ones outside your home. If you have outdoor faucets that you use for your sprinkler system or any hoses, be sure to turn them off. Then, open your faucets and drain any water that is left, and leave those faucets open. You might also consider getting some insulated caps at your local hardware store for all hose and outdoor faucet openings.
Disconnecting Hoses
Be sure to disconnect any hoses that you’ve been using outdoors during the warmer months, before temperatures dip any lower. Make sure that just like your outdoor faucets, your hoses are properly drained before you store them away for the winter.
Insulating Your Plumbing
There are pipes in your home besides your outdoor pipes that are susceptible to freezing, yet you have to use them anyway, such as your kitchen sink that may have pipes running through an outdoor-facing wall. You can’t simply open your kitchen sink faucet and shut off the water supply! Pipes that run under your sink, in crawlspaces, or in basements are vulnerable to this problem, but there is something you can do.
To best protect these pipes during the winter, you can purchase some pipe insulating sleeves from your nearest hardware store. This helps keep the temperature of the water in your pipes from dropping too low. You can likely accomplish this with towels, if you’d like to save a little money. It’s mostly just important that you try to keep these pipes as warm as possible.
When You Are Stuck with Frozen Pipes
So what happens if you take the proper precautions, and end up with frozen pipes anyway? Unfortunately, this can happen. The first thing we’ll say is this—do not try to thaw out your pipes on your own! Doing so can cause the pipes to burst. Instead, give our professional plumbers a call so we can get your system back on track.
Advanced Home Services is the standard when it comes to great service. Contact us today for all of your plumbing service needs.
