We have all heard people warn against letting your pipes freeze during the winter. What exactly does it mean when your pipes freeze? It means that the water trapped inside of the pipes will freeze and start to expand. When this happens it puts extreme amounts of pressure pushing outward on the pipe. Does it cause damage to the pipes? The short answer to that is, Yes it absolutely can and will damage your pipes and create a myriad of other potential problems in your home. Is there anything we can do to protect our homes and plumbing from the major issue of pipes freezing? There are many things that we can do to help prevent against our pipes freezing!
KEEP YOUR PIPES COZY
No, really. Wrap those exposed pipes right up! If you choose to do it yourself you can find special heat-tape to wrap up your pipes! Make sure you read all of the instructions carefully anytime you decide to do anything yourself. After you have followed the instructions for using the heat tape you can then wrap your pipes with insulation as well. Make sure to do this on pipes that are outside and one that are more exposed such as under your home! This is one way that you can help get your plumbing ready for winter!
INSULATION IS KEY
If you are unsure whether or not your home has great insulation now would be the time to find out! You are going to want to check places such as your crawl spaces, or basements and even your garage. Cold air can sneak its way in anywhere so making sure that you have sealed up your house vents with either styrofoam or duck taped heavy duty cardboard is a helpful hint! Some people will just put chunks of insulation in the vents during the winter. Making sure everything is well insulated will really help protect you from freezing damage.
FIX THAT CRACK
If you have small cracks or openings in your foundation or around the walls of your home, which most of us do, a quick way to help prevent your pipes from freezing is sealing those cracks. This is a super easy do it yourself project. You can either use caulking to patch it up or you can use spray foam insulation! These are both super accessible at you local hardware store and easy to do yourself. This is one easy and simple way to prevent against cold air entering your home.
EASY STEPS FOR COLD NIGHTS
When you know that it is going to be an especially cold night actually opening up the cabinet under your sinks helps prevent against freezing. Sounds funny right? But allowing the heat from your home to enter beneath the sink can really help! One tried and true way to help prevent against freezing pipes is leaving your sink running a small amount. Doing this keeps the water flowing and prevents against water sitting and expanding in the pipes! Quick, easy, simple, and effective!
These are some of the things that you can do to help protect your home and your plumbing. Remember, taking these small steps can prevent against big problems, big leaks, and expensive repairs! If you have any questions or concerns regarding preparing for winter or any other plumbing needs please give us a call at Linn Benton Plumbing!
