Frozen Pipes are Nightmares Come to Life, Stop them Before they Happen

Winter weather is slowly creeping up on us and your pipes are extremely vulnerable to the cold, especially at night. Whenever temperatures start dipping below 32 degrees, the water in your pipes is at risk of freezing. Frozen pipes are any homeowner’s worst nightmare during the winter months.

When water freezes, it expands. And if the water inside your pipes expands, the results can be disastrous, not to mention expensive! If you want to avoid a fractured frozen pipe this winter, be sure to take these precautions.

1. First and foremost, turn off and/or disconnect all outdoor faucets and w
   ater supplies.
2. Ensure your pipes are well insulated, especially the pipes that are exposed to cold air and/or wintry elements. This includes plumbing in exterior walls,
   crawl spaces and unfinished basements.
3. If your bathroom and/or kitchen sink’s plumbing runs along an exterior wall, try leaving cabinet doors open, to allow heat to reach under the sink.
4. Never set your thermostat lower than 55 degrees.
5. Have any older pipes and plumbing fixtures replaced by a plumber. (You may want to replace any plumbing that is prone to clogging, as well).
6. Be sure to seal any gaps in your insulation, especially if these gaps are near any plumbing.
7. If you can, have any pipes exposed to cold air, re-routed.
8. Have your heating equipment inspected by a professional, to prevent equipment failure.
9. For colder winter nights, set your thermostat a little warmer to help protect your pipes.
10. If you are going on vacation or planning to be away from your home for an extended period of time, you may want to shut off the main water valve to your home. Then drain all of your plumbing pipes and turn off your hot water tank.

Other helpful tips:

In the event of a power-outage, you can help reduce your chances of frozen pipes by letting water slowly drip out of your faucets. If water is not coming out of your faucets, you will want to close the main water valve to your home and drain the existing water that is already in your pipes.

If the weather is cold and suddenly one or more of your faucets/pipes stop working, you may have a frozen pipe. Remember it is possible for one pipe to freeze, while the others remain working. If this happens, follow these steps:

1. If you can, inspect the pipes to see if they are just frozen or if the pipe has burst. The flooding will not start until the water thaws buying you some time. If your pipe has burst or you are unable to tell call us at (618) 765-8218 immediately.
2. If flooding happens, shut off your main water valve.
3. Avoid using your toilet, unless you are 100% positive that the water supply to the toilet is functioning properly.

Winters can be rough for those of us in the Metro East Area, but remember if your pipes do freeze, we are here 24/7 to help you. Just call us at (618) 765-8218 or contact us.

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