How to Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter
Frozen pipes can cause serious headaches for homeowners, but with a few simple steps, you can protect your water system from freezing. As winter approaches, it’s important to prepare your pipes for the cold. When temperatures drop, the water inside the pipes can freeze, expand, and create pressure that could lead to pipe bursts. While the freezing itself isn’t as dangerous, the pressure can cause serious damage. Here’s how to prevent it.
1. Insulate Pipes Before the Cold Hits
One of the best ways to protect your pipes is to insulate them before the temperature drops. Areas like crawl spaces and areas where pipes pass through should be insulated with foam board or fiberglass. If you’re unsure about doing this yourself, it’s always a good idea to call in a professional plumber. At Orange Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning, we can insulate your pipes and apply temporary seals to your foundation vents and air inlets to keep cold air out.
2. Prepare Your Outdoor Water Systems
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Disconnect garden hoses: Make sure to disconnect your garden hoses from outdoor faucets and drain any water from your sprinkler system and pool water supply.
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Cover outdoor spigots: Ensure that all outdoor faucets are covered and winterized.
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Turn off water supply: Don’t forget to turn off the water supply to outdoor pipes and faucets and open the spigots to drain them before the weather gets too cold.
3. Let Warmth Reach Your Water Pipes
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Seal drafts: Ensure that cold drafts from windows, doors, and crawl spaces do not reach your water pipes.
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Close off openings: Seal any cracks in the walls and around windows to prevent cold air from entering.
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Place a light bulb near pipes: For added warmth, place a lighted bulb near exposed pipes, but never use open flames such as blowtorches or kerosene heaters.
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Open cabinet doors: If you have water pipes under sinks, leave the cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate and reach the pipes.
4. Use Your Water Regularly
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Run water regularly: Running water, even at a trickle, can prevent ice from forming inside your pipes. It’s less expensive to run water regularly than to deal with the aftermath of a frozen or burst pipe.
What to Do If Your Pipes Freeze
If your pipes do freeze despite taking precautions, don’t panic. Call Brea/Orange Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning right away. Our team of experts can defrost your pipes quickly and safely to prevent further damage.
By taking these preventative measures, you can save yourself from the stress and cost of dealing with frozen pipes this winter!