Plumbing and the Cold - Preventing Burst Pipes

Plumbing is something that everyone should have at least rudimentary knowledge of. That way you will have some idea of what is taking place if a pipe breaks. It is not uncommon for a pipe to burst during the winter months. Knowing how to prevent such problems is half the battle.

When pipes freeze in winter, they can cause major damage, and this can be very expensive for a homeowner. You can do your part to prevent this serious plumbing problem from occurring in the first place if you follow the correct procedures.

While you can call in a flood mitigation business to help you clean up your place after a pipe has burst, it would be even better if you took precautionary measures to prevent the plumbing problem from occurring at all. That way no clean up will be required.

Before the winter season gets underway you should disconnect and drain all of the hoses that you have outside. In order to do this you should drain and cut off all water flow to the pipes that lead to the faucets on the exterior of your home. It would be helpful to make use of an indoor valve and to make sure that you detach all of your garden hoses. This small action can go a long way in keeping your pipes safe when the temperature drops.

You will protect your plumbing even more if you find an unheated space to insulate the faucets and pipes that you have in your home. An added measure of protection for your pipes would be to use an insulating sleeve, which can keep your pipes safer and helps to reduce breaking. Other equally viable options for protecting your plumbing include heat tape or thermostatically-controlled heat cables. It is best to check with the manufacturer first to find out what products are the most highly recommended.

To keep your pipes from being susceptible to the cold, it is wise to seal off all access doors in your home, as well as air vents and any cracks that you can find. You also should be on the lookout for any leaks that you can find around any of the pipes, as well as the electrical wiring and the dryer vents.

Having proper ventilation is important and to ensure this, you should remind yourself not to forget that air vents are plugged into your furnace and your water heater. Never forget the importance of ventilating your living space! When the cold winds blow and snow is everywhere you look outside, your goal should be to keep the warmth inside of your home and to keep the cold outside. To help you in this, caulking or insulation can be used. Give your pipes the care they need and they, in turn, will do what they are supposed to do.

If despite your best efforts a leak does happen, make sure everyone in the household knows where the master circuit breaker is so that they can shut it off as quickly as possible. If you are not sure where it can be found then you can trace its direction by following where the water line is that leads from the street outdoors.