RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING & FLOOD PREVENTION EXPERTS
Well I’m sure all of our friends and neighbors noticed the snow over the weekend. That’s Colorado’s way of saying Happy Mother’s Day!
Many folks (myself included) got a head start on their lawns thinking we were in the Spring free and clear. Not the case apparently.
I’ve posted blogs on how to deal with frozen pipes before, so this will be a refresher. The difference is this time we’ll hear from the great people over at Sobieski Plumbing.
To see the complete blog in it’s origin, click here, otherwise read below to hear their 7 tips for avoiding frozen pipes.
Nothing can make a winter more memorable – in a bad way – than frozen pipes. Besides the inconvenience of scheduling repairs and going without water till they’ve been completed, frozen pipes can result in pipes rupturing and potential flooding, resulting in costly damages to home and property. The good news is that with the right preparation and professional assistance, the risk of damage from frozen pipes can be minimized.
If you use an external well pump, turn it off and open the water valves to reduce the pressure in the lines. Keep the valves open until the pressure drops and water no longer exits from the faucet.
…especially in crawl spaces, garages and attics with products designed for water pipes such as “pipe sleeves,” or install thermostatically controlled heat cables. Enlisting the help of a plumbing professional can help save time and effort.
Drafts are a source for freezing temperature. Depending on the type of leak, use caulk, weatherstripping or spray foam around window and door frames, dryer vents, electrical wiring, and wherever air leaks are found near exposed pipes.
Keep your home thermostat set no lower than 55 (McAdams Plumbing recommends 62* due to the harsh nature of Colorado winters) degrees F, even when you’re on away from home for a long period. The warmer it is inside, the less chance the pipes will freeze.
Keep cabinet doors open in critical areas such as kitchens and bathrooms to allow warmer air to circulate around exposed pipes.
Have a faucet open just enough to drip. If it’s tied to a hot and cold line, open both lines enough to drip together. Water movement reduces the likelihood of water becoming frozen.
Finally, having an expert plumbing service perform a system review to identify potential risks can go a long way towards preventing future damage from frozen pipes.
Sobieski Services. "Frozen Pipe: 7 Easy Precautions to Take." Weblog Post. Sobieski Services' Home Comfort Blog. 20 Jan. 2014. 12 May 2014.