Freezing pipes are a common occurrence in the northern part of the country, so people there know what to do when it happens, and they know how to prevent it. But many people in California are used to warmer temperatures, so they aren’t as prepared when it comes to freezing pipes. Some people are taken by surprise by a cold snap, and others just aren’t used to the colder climate when they move a bit further north.
Knowledge is power. By learning some preventive tips, you can save yourself a lot of time and money later. Here are six things you can do to prevent your pipes from freezing:
1. Drain the Water
You can’t drain the water from your plumbing, but you can drain the water from your swimming pool, outdoor hoses, and water sprinkler supply lines. These outdoor areas will be at higher risk of freezing, and water trapped inside these items can freeze and spread to other parts of your plumbing.
You should also close any inside valves that supply these outside hose bibs. Open up the outside hose bibs so that the water can drain and that any remaining water can expand without bursting the pipe.
2. Insulate Pipes
Pipes that are in your attic, basement, garage, or other open spaces are more vulnerable to freezing. So are pipes located in exterior walls. You can protect these pipes by insulating them with foam sleeves. You can find these at a home improvement supply store, or you can ask a plumber to provide and install them for you.
Insulating the pipes can protect them from the colder temperatures and possibly prevent the water inside from freezing. Insulating the pipes may not protect them completely, but this step will go a long way toward keeping the water from freezing.
3. Insulate Spaces in Your Home
You can further protect your pipes by insulating those spaces in your home that are often not insulated, such as your attic, crawl space, basement, or garage. These spaces might have insulating along the floor, ceiling, or wall that attaches to the house, but the other walls are usually left uninsulated. Without insulation, these spaces become very cold, which can freeze the pipes that run through these spaces.
By insulating these spaces in your home, you can not only save yourself some costly potential plumbing repairs, but you can also make your home more energy-efficient overall. You’ll notice a big difference in your heating and cooling costs throughout the year.
4. Keep Your Home Temperature-Controlled
You may like to turn down your thermostat when you are away at work or if you go away on a vacation. Allowing the temperature in your home to drop while you aren’t there may save you money on your heating bill, but it will also put your pipes at risk of freezing. If you must lower the temperature, make sure it goes no lower than 55 degrees.
Ideally, you should keep the temperature in your home the same both day and night, and you should keep the thermostat at a minimum setting if you are on vacation.
5. Let the Water Drip
Moving water is less likely to freeze than stagnant water. If you know that temperatures are going to drop, you should turn your faucets on to let the water drip slowly. Place a bucket under the faucets to reuse the water so you aren’t wasting it.
If you find that your pipes have already frozen, but they haven’t frozen completely, you can also let the water drip to help defrost the line.
6. Re-route Your Pipes
Freezing pipes can be a serious problem. If you find that you’re dealing with it year after year without respite, or if you find that your efforts are taking too much time and money, you may want to consider re-routing the pipes that are prone to freezing, such as those on exterior walls or in outdoor spaces. You can hire a repiping plumber to do the work. You may even decide to upgrade to materials that are less likely to freeze, such as PEX piping.
Taking a few of these preventive steps will save you a lot of trouble later. You’ll have full access to running water, and you won’t have to worry about damage to your plumbing or your home. You’ll save a lot of money in the process, as well.
Repiping your home can help you avoid frozen pipes and a number of other calamities. For example, PEX piping resists corrosion and freezing, and it is flexible so is less likely to burst. Integrity Repipe specializes in PEX piping and other types of repiping. Our specialists can perform pipe repair or can repipe your whole home to get better results. We are a top California repiping company with an exceptional reputation and stellar reviews. Call us today to learn more about your repiping options.
Published by – Integrity Repipe Inc
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