Winter brings lots of work and potential hardship for the homeowner, but nothing causes quite as much stress as pipes. During the sub-zero temperatures of winter, pipes can freeze, and frozen pipes can lead to big problems such as flooding and water damage if they burst. All pipes could eventually be impacted if temperatures dropped low enough, but for the most part, any pipes in uninsulated or exposed areas are the most at risk for freezing. Follow these tips to help prevent frozen pipes that could cause major problems this winter.
No one wants to experience a frozen pipe in their home. Here are some ways to prevent them.
Keep the Cold Away
First, do what you can to keep the cold air away from your pipes. Keep your garage door closed as much as possible if pipes run through your garage. Any exterior pipes should be insulated, and outdoor spigots should be covered with insulating caps. Find any cold air leaks that allow the cold into your home, especially in unused areas of the house, and seal them to keep the average temperature up inside. Ultimately, you should also plan to do insulating projects for areas of your home that aren’t insulated but house pipes, like the basement, attic, or crawl space. Insulating these areas will help protect your pipes and keep your home warmer throughout the winter.
Let the Warm In
First, you should not set your thermostat any lower than 55 degrees, even if you’re going to be away from home. If you tend to turn the thermostat down at night, don’t during these bitter cold snaps. If you have pipes that run above drop ceilings or inside cabinets, let the warm room air in to circulate around the pipes as much as possible. You can leave cabinet doors open and remove ceiling tiles to allow this, just remember to remove dangerous items from the cabinets for the safety of kids and pets. You could also open up crawl spaces to let warmer air into them, if you’re confident no kids or pets can access them when you’re not looking.
Let A Faucet Drip
Finally, letting a faucet drip very slightly is enough to keep the water moving and offer a pressure release in the event of a total freeze. This could be enough to prevent frozen pipes from bursting and flooding an area of your home, in the event that it does freeze. Keep in mind that it should be a faucet that runs from the pipes you’re most worried about freezing to have the best effect.
QUESTIONS? NORTH ARUNDEL CONTRACTING IS HERE TO HELP!
If you have more questions about preventing fires in your home, North Arundel Contracting is here to help you out. Our trained professionals can teach you everything there is to know about emergency and general contracting services. Call us any time at 410-766-2855 or reach us by fax at 410-553-2367. Feel free to send us an email at [email protected]. For after-hours emergencies, call us at 410-541-0328. For tips, tricks, and to see what we have been up to, be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.