Serious damage can result from frozen pipes in winter. The repairs can get quite costly and cause a great inconvenience as well. As water freezes in the pipes, it expands and causes an increase in water pressure and causes the pipes to burst. It's important to check your home's vulnerabilities well before winter and make adjustments where necessary. How can you help to prevent and deal with frozen pipes in winter?
Vulnerabilities
Depending on where you live and how the pipes are located in your home, there may be existing vulnerabilities. Some homes have pipes inside the insulation, which is a protectant. Even with insulation, depending on where the pipes are, they could be affected by very cold temperatures. Anywhere there is a flow of cold air coming in contact with pipes, such as in crawl spaces, outside walls, etc., they have the potential to freeze.
During winter, if you live in a cold climate, always be aware of freezing temperatures. Even if you live in a usually warm climate, there is the potential for temperatures to drop cold enough for pipes to freeze. Pay careful attention to weather reports so you can take measures to prevent frozen pipes. Pipes tend to freeze when the outside temperature is around 20 degrees or below. Windchill factors have to be taken into consideration as well. But, this will also depend on individual situations such as whether pipes are insulated, where they are and how much cold air they are exposed to.
Preventative Measures
If you are building a new home, get professional advice about the best way to route your pipes to prevent freezing. If you have an existing home, you may not want to spend money on rerouting pipes, but there are measures you can take to prevent freezing.
Hardware and most any home supply store carries insulated sleeves made for pipes. These sleeves normally come in different thicknesses. The thicker, the more protection your pipes will have. Electric heating tape is also available for pipes, but these should be used with caution and only use ones that are up to code. Some of the electric heating tape comes with a thermostat to cut on and off as needed. Some do not have a thermostat and will have to be manually plugged in. These may not be the ideal option since it would be easy to forget when to plug in at the needed time.
Although you may not like wasting water, opening a faucet when the temperatures dip down, will relieve the pressure that builds and very likely will prevent your pipes from freezing. An open faucet with a very slow drip can be very effective. It's best to open both the cold and hot faucets. You won't need to open the faucets in areas where there are no vulnerabilities.
We all want to save money in the winter on heating costs, but this could end up costing you more for repairs if pipes freeze. Keep your thermostat high enough so pipes won't freeze, especially when you are going away for a while. Your indoor temperature should be at least 55 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time in cold months, it would be best to have a trusted person to check on your pipes.
Be careful about keeping garage doors, crawl space doors closed where pipes can be exposed to cold air. Insulate these areas well. Insulation will keep the areas warmer in general, which will help to prevent frozen pipes.
Frozen Pipes
If you notice the dripping at your faucets has stopped, this could be a sign your pipes have frozen and need another way of relieving the pressure. Calling a professional would be best in this case. If the pipes have already burst, it's advised to turn the water off at the main, which is usually at the meter outside of your home, and keep the faucets open until repairs can be made.
Don't use an open flame to thaw frozen pipes. This can be dangerous. There could be damage to pipes or could start a fire. Some people use a hair dryer to thaw frozen pipes. This can work sometimes if done properly. The heat should be applied at a low setting and slowly applied. The utmost caution should be used when using a hair dryer since it is an electrical appliance. Never use an electrical appliance in standing water or near dripping water.
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