Winter is coming, and no, that’s not just the tagline of a popular TV show. Winter really is coming and you need to be prepared, especially in terms of your home plumbing. Plumbing disasters are expensive affairs which can cause a lot of inconvenience to you and your family. A winter plumbing disaster such a burst pipe is the most common of all plumbing disasters and here are some ways to avoid such a disaster.
Leave the heat on!
Before you take off on your tropical Caribbean vacation to a warmer place, don’t forget to leave the heat on in your home. While turning off the heat at home is an energy and cost-effective move, it can harm your plumbing. If you maintain a steady temperature inside your home, even when on vacation, it will prevent your pipes from getting frozen and avert a potentially dangerous winter plumbing disaster.
Bring in your outdoor hoses
Leaving your outdoor hoses out in the chill is a great way to invite the cold into your plumbing system. Residual water inside these hoses and pipes can freeze up and this frozen mass can facilitate the freezing of your indoor pipes as well. The frozen water inside the outdoor hoses acts as a medium for further freezing of the pipes. Instead of leaving your watering hoses out and starting the recipe for a winter plumbing disaster, take those hoses indoors and drain them properly before storing them away. Don’t forget to consider your outdoor sprinklers, pipes and taps when preparing for a winter plumbing disaster as these are most likely to be frozen first and must be protected.
Insulate your pipes
What do you do when you want to keep your pipes from freezing? You insulate them. Insulating your pipe is a cheap and practical way of preventing them from freezing. All you need to do is choose your preferred type of insulation from all the types available such as foam insulation, insulation tape, and low-cost pipe wrap and insulate all your pipes. Start with the pipes that are most likely to be frozen such as external water lines and work your way inwards. Seek out a professional emergency plumbing service if you want to ensure foolproof insulation of your pipes.
Drain your hot water tank
Stored water in your hot water tank can cause sedimentation leading to lower efficiency of the water heater and can set up your hot water tank for a winter plumbing disaster. You can easily avoid this by draining your hot water tank and flushing it with cold water.
Prevent plumbing disasters in the winter by following the above steps to protect your plumbing system. If, despite taking these precautions, your pipes still get frozen, do not panic. Get in touch with your trusted emergency plumbing service to help you prevent your pipes from bursting. An expert emergency plumbing service will ensure your pipes thaw before running the water again and prevent them from bursting and cracking.
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