Home maintenance is extremely important during any part of the year. However, it is especially vital during the colder winter months. A lot can go wrong during the winter if you did not perform basic maintenance tasks. This is especially true of your pipes which can freeze or even burst due to the cold. Below are four tips to prevent frozen pipes this winter.
Insulate Your Pipes
Many plumbers will tell you that one of the best strategies you can take to prevent your pipes from freezing during the winter time is to insulate them. Visit your local hardware store and pick up either sleeve style pipe insulation or fiberglass wrap style insulation. This insulation can be secured to your pipes with either wire or tape made from aluminum foil.
Utilize Your Thermostat
Another strategy you can use to ensure that your pipes never freeze during the winter is preventing your home from getting cold enough to the point where pipe freezing can actually occur. If you aren't accustomed to programming your thermostat, before winter would be a good time to learn how to do so. While you may want your home cooler when no one is indoors, you should ensure that your heating system is set to only allow the internal temperature to lower to 64°F or so.
Remove Air Leaks
One reason pipes may freeze even when you think your home's temperature is high enough is because there are significant air leaks in risky locations in your home you aren't even aware of. Make sure to check for air leaks near your pipes or anywhere else in your home for that matter. You may discover, for example, that your basement windows are leaking significant amounts of air near some of your pipes. Sealing up these windows or replacing them entirely should fix the issue.
Run Water During Cold Snaps
At certain points during the winter, the temperature may drop to dangerously low levels. While your heating may work for some time, that may end when the power goes out for your entire neighborhood. One way to be proactive during such a dangerous cold snap is to turn on faucets around your home so they continually drip out a small amount of water. This may be enough to prevent your pipes from freezing.
Overall, you can't ignore the dangers of your pipes freezing. This requires taking steps like installing insulation, programming your thermostat, and removing air leaks from your home. In certain cases, you may need to take even more action such as running your water a tiny bit to prevent pipe freezing during an emergency. Doing so can save you from the disastrous consequences of frozen water pipes in your house. However, if you do have an emergency, make sure to call professionals like Express Plumbing & Septic. Once pipes have burst you need help ASAP. Do not hesitate hiring aid immediately.