Do you love the cold? Are you situated in a cold country? Well, the most common problem that people encounter in living in such cold areas is frozen pipes. Frozen pipes can be a real problem for homeowners. They are almost always very costly and may force homeowners to deal with long-term repairs or replacements. This is especially true if you’re dealing with a clog that isn’t plugged up properly, like a frozen pipe.
Meanwhile, there are also a lot of things to consider when dealing with this type of situation. Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes play an important role in your home in the way that it controls water usage. It also plays an important role in the cooling and heating system in your home as well as gas lines.
Causes of Pipes Freezing:
- The first obvious reason is that your pipes are exposed to severe cold temperatures. Like outdoor pipes, water sprinkler lines, and if you do have one, the swimming pool supply lines. With this temperature, it can damage your pipes and can cause further problems if not taken care of.
- Water supply pipe that isn’t covered by the heater or unheated areas such as basements, garages, attics, and kitchen cabinets. Because some of the pipes are located in areas that aren’t covered by the heater this usually results in frozen pipes if not assessed immediately.
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes:
- Keep your garage doors closed at all times, not just garage doors but also gates and other entrances that may be a way for the cold breeze to enter especially during winter.
- Open kitchen and bathroom doors to be able to circulate warm air around your home and in your plumbing. In this way, you will be able to circulate the warm air around the house to prevent any cold breeze from affecting your plumbing.
- When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip or flow served by exposed pipes. Running water through pipes can help prevent the water from freezing.
- Keep the thermostat at a steady temperature at home both during the day and at night. By doing this you can prevent your pipes from freezing although this may cost you due to a higher heating bill it will cost more if you have to repair your frozen pipe.
- If you will go out of your house make sure to leave the thermostat on the heat in your house. Set the thermostat at a temperature no lower than 55° F. By doing this you will keep your house warm and avoid any problems that are caused by cold temperatures.
How to Protect Pipes from Freezing
Before the start of the cold weather make sure to prepare these tips to avoid any problems. Remember it is always better to be prepared than not at all.
- Drain water from the sprinkler supply and swimming pool also if you have one. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful and dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping. With this tip, it can save you from freezing water and affecting your pipes.
- The next tip is draining, removing, and storing hoses used outdoors Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break. This tip will allow water to flow through the pipes and keep them from freezing in cold temperatures.
- Add insulation in areas in your home that aren’t reached by the heater such as attics, basements, garages, and crawl spaces. Through insulation, it will keep your home warmer and far away from freezing.
- Check everything around your home for other areas where water supplies are located. In that way, you can easily locate the pipes that need to be focused on and be prepared. Look in the garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
- If you ever find a problem with your pipes, assess it immediately, and if you find an exposed pipe consider relocating these exposed pipes for safety and increased protection from freezing.
Preparation is key.
If your home or business is going to be heated less or not at all by a furnace, then preventative measures must be taken to protect the pipes from freezing. The best ways to protect your pipes from freezing start with a plan for combating cold areas in your building before you actually begin the process, and continue with diligent efforts to keep all pipes free of debris that could block the flow of water. This can be one of the most difficult aspects of owning property in cold climates, but it is certainly possible if certain risks and issues are anticipated ahead of time.
In cold times, it is very important that you stay warm, so preparation is key. These tips will guide you on what to do not just only to your pipes to prevent them from freezing but it will guide you on what to do in cold weather in winter. It never hurts to be prepared, always make sure that you have the right equipment and knowledge about what to do in situations like this.