Winter is right around the corner and this can be a challenging time for those who live in colder areas. Many depend on plumbing pipes for hot water and heating to keep the home warm and comfortable during the cold season. Whether your pipes freeze because you forget to turn off the water to your house or garden, or because you go away for a few days and the temperature drops outside, the results could be disastrous for you, your family, and your home.
Keep your water pipes from freezing this winter by following these helpful tips:
Keep the heat on
Turning on the furnace before leaving for vacation helps reduce water freezing in the pipes. This plumbing tip will help prevent ice dams, burst pipes, and other problems caused by freezing water in your home. If your furnace is no longer heating your rooms properly, consider getting a new heating installation in your home.
Turn off and drain outside water lines
If you are faced with freezing temperatures outside, it is very likely that you will have frozen water lines. Since water expands during freezing, it can split buried lines. By turning off and draining outside water lines in winter, you will save water while keeping the water lines free of freeze damage.
Seal air leaks
It’s cold outside, which means you’ll be turning on the heat. But if you have open cracks in your foundation or around doors or windows, cold air can blow straight into your home through these leaks. This makes it work harder to heat your house, wastes energy, and costs you more. Prevent the cold air from getting in and reaching your indoor water pipes by sealing air leaks around your home.
Insulate your water pipes
When the winter weather rolls in, you need to insulate your water pipes so they don’t freeze. If your pipes freeze, your water supply will be cut off. Heat tape insulation is an affordable way to keep your home warm as well as prevent costly damages such as burst mains or frozen water pipes.
Ask help from a reliable plumbing contractor
It is crucial for homeowners to get their hot water pipes checked out before winter sets in to ensure that they are functional all through the season. Check your water main lines and internal plumbing for leaks, clogs, and structural damages by hiring a professional plumber. By doing this, you can prevent potential damages from freezing water and save money in the long run. Talk to your trusted local plumbers now!
