With the winter season already upon us, the frigid and windy weather can affect unprotected water pipes. During the fall, raking the leaves and cleaning your gutters are only two of the steps you should take before the winter. Before the temperature drops, take action to prevent your water from freezing—follow these steps to avoid a costly burst pipe (or worse).
WINTER PLUMBING PREPARATION
Preparing your home for winter isn’t complicated or costly, and can save you a lot of money. Following these steps means you wont have to replace your pipes or your furnace. If you have any questions or concerns about the water running through your house, call Team Plumbing, and we can help with anything.
- Make sure outdoor faucets are ready for winter Since they’re outdoors and always subject to the cold temperature, this is an especially important thing to pay attention to. If your home has a separate shutoff valve, turn off the water supply to the outdoor water hoses. Also, make sure to drain them in order to prevent freezing.
- Insulate pipes If you have water lines that run through the garage or crawl space, add a layer of insulation to prevent freezing. Wrap them with heat tape, newspaper, or foam to avoid them succumbing to the cold weather. Also, for pipes in the garage, keep the garage door closed as much as possible in order to prevent any issues on very cold days.
- Check your filters A dirty, clogged filter is one of the most common issues that plumbers come across. If not regularly maintained, they can cause problems with your heater—homeowners are responsible for replacing furnace filters pretty regularly. Clean filters can prevent dust from flowing into your ventilation system.
- Let water drip Having water constantly running through your pipes will prevent them from freezing. That can help avoid excessive pressure building up when it’s cold enough that the pipes might freeze.
- Watch your home temperature while on vacation While you’ll get to escape the cold weather, your pipes cannot. Clear your pipes of water before you leave by turning off the main water valve, then turning off all water fixtures (including hot water). Open the faucet until you are sure that no more water is coming out, and then close the valves. Also, while lowering the temperature in your house will save you money, you can cause cold spells which can affect your pipes.
Preparing your home for winter isn’t complicated or costly, and can save you a lot of money. Following these steps means you wont have to replace your pipes or your furnace. If you have any questions or concerns about the water running through your house, call Team Plumbing, and we can help with anything.
