Don’t Freeze Your Pipes

When winter time comes you will have things to do around your house in preparation for that colder weather, rain, and snow. You'll want to make sure your HVAC system is ready to keep you warm, verify that your roof is in good shape and free of leaks and that your plumbing system is in good shape and won't be at risk of freezing during those freezing temperatures. Here are some of the wintertime preparations you are going to want to take care of around your home to better-protect your pipes:

Understanding what happens when pipes freeze

Exposure to freezing temps should be limited, even prevented: The best thing you can do in order to prevent frozen pipes around your property is to make sure you have a clear understanding of how they freeze, how they thaw and what risks these things mean for you. When the outside temperature goes well below freezing and there is stagnant water sitting in y our pipes, they can essentially turn into ice cubes. When the water turns into ice in the pipes, it will expand and cause a severe blockage. The blockage can cause an excessive amount of pressure in the system. This can in return lead to the pipes bursting. When a pipe bursts, very large amounts of water can spray from the pipes, causing a lot of damage throughout your home. 

Understanding how to prevent the pipes from freezing

Keep them as warm as possible: Now that you have an understanding of how the pipes freeze, you'll have a clearer picture of how to prevent it from happening. You want to make sure you protect any outside pipes and pipes in the house that can also get to freezing temperatures. You protect them by keeping them warmer than the freezing temperatures around them. Outside pipes should have insulation tape or other insulation put on and around them. They should also be protected by some sort of built sheltering. Inside pipes should be warmed up by keeping the inside temperature comfortable and opening cabinet doors, so that warm air can reach them.

Don't allow water to sit in the pipes: Since water that just sits in the pipes is at the most risk of freezing, you want to prevent this by keeping the water moving. Turn inside faucets dripping constantly when it's freezing. The drips should be constant and about as thick as a toothpick. You also want to drain the sprinkler system and turn it off for the season. To learn more, contact a plumbing contractor. 


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