Temperatures in the winter can go below freezing. This means that any water that may be in your plumbing system can freeze. When it gets this cold, the volume of water increases when it freezes. Therefore, your pipes are at risk of bursting if all water outlets inside the house are shut, and water freezes inside the pipes.
When dealing with frozen pipes, you will have two main problems at hand. The first is the costly pipe repairs. You will need to do this in order to continue using your plumbing. Secondly, water will start leaking from the burst section when the pipe thaws. If your water pipes freeze and burst, be sure to call a professional plumber to inspect and repair your system. First, however, you need to learn how to prevent frozen pipes.
Pipes That Are At Risk Of Freezing
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It is important to note that not all pipes in your home are at risk of freezing. There are only three groups of pipes that are at risk.
The first and most obvious are pipes located outside the house. Pipes that run through the exterior walls of the house are also at risk of freezing. If there are pipes running in the basement and garage, or any other area that does not have heating, they are at risk of freezing. Now that you have identified high-risk areas, you can take the right steps to prevent your plumbing from freezing.
Preventive Measures For Frozen Or Burst Plumbing Pipes
You can use the preventative measures listed below in order to avoid the possibility of frozen pipes. By following these steps, you can avoid a slew of plumbing issues from occurring in your home.
- Open Kitchen And Bathroom Cabinet Doors: Since your home is heated, you can use heated air to warm up water pipes and keep them from freezing. You can start by opening cabinet doors under the sink in the kitchen and bathroom. This allows warm air to circulate freely around cold water pipes. You are basically using your heater, which is already running, to keep your pipes from freezing.
- Drain Garden Hoses: Your garden hose can easily burst if it is not drained. This is because garden hoses are often used outdoors and kept either in the garage or the garden shed. To prevent your garden hose pipe from freezing and bursting, be sure to drain it after use. Also, be sure to cover your hose bibs.
- Drip Faucets: Setting your faucets to drip may not prevent your pipes from freezing. However, it will help to relieve the pressure buildup in the system when water freezes and expands. This will prevent your pipes from bursting. Ideally, you should drip both your hot and cold water faucets.
- Insulate Pipes: A great way to keep your pipes from freezing is to insulate them. You can easily buy snap-on insulation made of foam from the hardware store. When installing the insulation, be sure to use duct tape to wrap the foam tightly around the pipes.
- Heat High-Risk Pipes: Over the years, a number of solutions have been developed for preventing pipes from freezing. One of them is pipe heating. These pipe heaters are also used to thaw frozen pipes. They usually come in the form of a heat tape with an inbuilt thermostat for temperature control. You can talk to your plumber, like Robinson Plumbing, about installing these pipe heaters.
Related Article: The Importance Of Finding Your Water Shutoff Valves
When To Call A Plumber
Be sure to follow these steps when temperatures are expected to drop in order to prevent your pipes from bursting. Frozen pipes are a problem only if you discover them too late and they have burst. Don’t panic when you notice a frozen pipe. However, you will have to act quickly. As seen in the above video, there are many things that you can do once you realize that you have a frozen pipe on your hands.
When you do notice that your pipes have burst, you will need a professional plumber to repair it. Be sure to contact Robinson Plumbing. We are experienced in repairing burst pipes, and we can offer you plumbing solutions so that you don’t have to deal with a situation like this again.
Call Robinson Plumbing For Superior Plumbing Services
Contact Robinson Plumbing, one of the most trusted plumbing companies in the Lehigh Valley, for reliable plumbing services. We offer various plumbing services ranging from drain clogs, water heater replacements, toilet repairs, water leaks, and more. We always give a wide range of solutions when possible for any plumbing repairs. This allows you to choose the best options for your home and budget.
Find yourself dealing with an unexpected plumbing problem in the middle of the night? No worries! You can count on the expert plumbers at Robinson Plumbing to take care of you. We offer reliable 24-hour emergency plumbing services. You can count on us to get the job done quickly and correctly and, best of all, at an affordable price.
We proudly offer the most affordable and best plumbing services in the Lehigh Valley area. Our plumbers all have the proper licenses and expertise to ensure your satisfaction. All of our work comes with a guarantee. Contact Robinson Plumbing today and schedule your free estimate.
Call us today at (610) 351-9889 or contact us for any questions that you might have! Click the link to view our service area.