Prepare the Pipes for Cold Winter Weather!
December is in full swing, which means cold winter temperatures have arrived. As such, it is vitally important that homeowners and their families prepare their homes to endure the cold. Specifically, homeowners must prepare their pipes for the cold winter weather. This may not seem important, but the consequences of unprepared pipes can be huge.
There are a handful of best practices that homeowners should focus on that will help to prevent frozen pipes, one of the biggest challenges in the cold winter weather. Frozen pipe repair can be a big hassle, so if homeowners follow these simple steps, they should be able to largely avoid major plumbing emergencies.
Ensure the Pipes are Insulated
First and foremost, homeowners should ensure that their pipes are properly insulated. Pipe insulation is a must because it can help with heat transfer to the pipes and therefore prevent frozen pipes. If homeowners have frozen pipes, these could potentially burst and require burst pipe repair, which can be very costly and time-consuming.There are several different ways to insulate pipes, including:
- Fiberglass covers
- Pipe gap insulation
- Self-sealing foam
- Sleeve covers (tubular)
- Spray foam
- Traditional foam
These are just some of the many options. If homeowners are not sure which is the best way(s) to insulate their pipes, they can consult the expertise of a professional pipe repair company.
Ensure the Outdoor Faucets Are Shut Off
Homeowners should also ensure that their outdoor faucets are shut off, as this can prevent frozen pipes and pipe bursts outside of the home. Turning off the outdoor faucets minimizes the probability of water building up and freezing within the pipes. After all, if there is no water running, there is nothing to freeze!
In all likelihood, homeowners should not need to run much water outdoors. Thus, homeowners not only mitigate their risk of frozen pipes, but they will likely also save money by lowering the amount of water they are running.
Ensure the Heater is Working Properly
Last but not least, homeowners must ensure that their heaters are in proper working order. Frozen pipes, of course, occur at very low temperatures. Thus, one of the best ways to counteract this is to keep the house warm and maintain higher temperatures than would otherwise be the case.
In doing so, the probability of frozen pipes goes way down. Most homeowners will probably already be running their home heating systems, which is great! The key thing is to check that the heater is working properly before temperatures drop very low. If there are malfunctions, this will give them time to get help from professionals who can perform heater maintenance. The last thing homeowners and their families probably want is to be out of heat in the cold months with a high risk of frozen pipes!
About Foundation Plumbing & Heating
Foundation Plumbing & Heating of York PA is a local, family-owned-and-operated company. Their team lives by the motto of “we do it all with just one call.” They believe in providing quality service at the best value through top-notch workmanship and honest pricing. Call them today for pipe repair service in York, PA!
