Your favorite parrot Gilley is back and ready to talk to you about frozen pipes. I know, no one wants to think about the horror of a pipe burst that can cause thousands of dollars in damages. Although you can never 100 percent prevent your pipes from freezing, there are ways you can greatly decrease the chances.
Prevention before cold weather
Drain Water – Before the temperatures begin to drop even more, drain your swimming pool and your sprinkler system. A pipe burst in your sprinkler system can cost much more than your average pipe. Don’t forget about your hose outside. Drain and store these hoses to help prevent your pipes from freezing.
Insulation – Your home will have pipes in unheated areas such as; the basement, crawl spaces, garage, under the kitchen, bathroom cabinets and the attic. These pipes, hot and cold, should have insulation. Insulation on these pipes will decrease the chances of your pipes from freezing by keeping the core temperature of the pipe from decreasing as fast.
Prevention during cold weather
Keep Doors Closed – This might seem like a no brainer, but if you’re working outside, you might tend to keep the garage door open. It is important to keep your garage door closed if you have water supply lines in your garage.
Open Cabinets – Pipes under your kitchen and bathroom sinks can be quickly heated by opening the doors on the cabinets. Occasionally opening the cabinets can make a major difference in the temperature of your pipes.
Thermostat – Be careful not to set your thermostat any lower than 55 degrees if you go away on vacation. Any lower and your pipes could freeze.
Low Temperatures – This winter, the temperature outside is bound to drop below 20 degrees. If you have exposed pipes let the cold water drip from the faucet when temperatures are particularly low. Water running slowly through the pipe will keep it from freezing.
Avoid stress and damage to your home this winter – follow these easy steps and decrease the chances of your pipes freezing.
