How To: Dealing With Avoid Frozen Pipes

During the winter months when the temperatures drops below freezing level, one of the main worries of homeowners is the possibility of frozen pipes. Luckily, there are ways to prevent this from happening, even in areas where it is below freezing for the majority of the winter instead of just about a month. Taking a few precautions can save you a lot of time, hassle, and money.

How to Avoid Frozen Pipes

One of the most important thing to do when you are trying to avoid frozen pipes is to listen to the weather. Yes, you must listen every day during the Winter. Many weather stations will tell you to take precautions when it gets cold so all you really need to listen for are the warnings. In addition, you should pay attention to the temperature during the night. If the low temperature is going to drop below freezing, there are a few things you can do.

First, many people encourage letting your faucet drip over night for sinks that located in rooms that get colder than the rest of the house. Since the water will be constantly running, there is less of a chance that it will freeze within the pipes. Do not let your faucet run on full blast as this will waste water and cause your bill to skyrocket. A simple drip every few seconds is plenty to get the liquid moving and help prevent freezing. Please note that this is not a fool proof way to prevent freezing.

Another thing people often do is open up their cabinets. The reason this is done is to allow the heat in the home to warm the pipes up. If you have children or pets, I would remove any harmful products from reach since the barrier will essentially be removed. You do not want to avoid frozen pipes just to replace the danger with a sick child or animal. Be sure to take any extra precautions if you use the prevention method.

The last thing that people generally do to prevent their pipes from freezing is to add a protective layer of insulation to the water pipes. This is typically only done in areas where it tends to get very cold and stay that way for a while. This is not a necessity option for all people to complete in order to avoid frozen pipes. However, in some areas where it is recommended, these pipe covers can be installed fairly easily. Most come with Velcro fasteners to make it simple to install.

What If Your Pipes Freeze?

Once you have frozen pipes, there is not much you can do on your own. You will need to contact a professional plumbing contractor to assist you with the issue. Sometimes, the issue can be resolved prior to experiencing a pipe burst but this can only be assessed by a plumber. Once they are frozen, do not attempt to perform the repair on your own. You do not want to cause more damage. Call a plumber as soon as possible so they can come assess the pipes and determine the best course of action.

Frozen pipes can be a nightmare but there are ways to prevent them. Be sure to take every precaution on those cold nights. Avoiding frozen pipes is the best way to get through the winter.