As temperatures start to dip and winter sets in, your home’s plumbing system faces special challenges. Cold weather can wreak havoc on pipes, water heaters, and other parts of your system if left unsecured – with proper precautions taken, however, you can help ensure both remain safe and are running optimally throughout this season of chilliness.
This article will look into proactive steps you can take this winter to protect your home against possible plumbing disasters and why partnering with a local plumbing service company may be advantageous in making sure your system is prepared.
- Insulate Your Pipes
One of the key ways to safeguard your plumbing system during wintertime is insulating its pipes, particularly those located in unheated spaces like basements, attics, and crawl spaces against freezing. Exposed pipes run the risk of freezing when temperatures dip below zero degrees F, potentially leading to bursts and extensive water damage as the temperatures plummet below that mark.
Insulating pipes serve to protect them against freezing. A local plumbing company can advise you on the right kind of insulation material and assist with installation to make sure you and your home’s plumbing are adequately protected from freezing temperatures.
2. Keep Your Home Warm
Maintaining an even temperature throughout your home is not only comfortable but essential in protecting its plumbing system from freezing pipes. Even while away, make sure that your thermostat remains set at least 55degF so as to avoid freezing pipes during any lapses in temperature control.
If you are going on holiday during wintertime, keep the heat on as a simple yet effective measure to ward off plumbing emergencies when you get back. A slight temperature dip could cause water in the pipes to freeze over, creating serious plumbing issues when you return. By keeping your home warm throughout your trip and when returning from vacation, keeping warm could prevent cold-weather plumbing disasters.
3. Allow Faucets To Drip
For especially cold nights, allowing faucets to drip slightly may help avoid freezing pipes by keeping water moving through them – the constant flow prevents blockages from forming while relieving pressure that might otherwise force burst pipes to burst.
This simple solution can be especially helpful in protecting pipes located near exterior walls or other locations that are exposed to cold temperatures. Your local plumbing company can identify which faucets should remain dripping while also giving advice as to the appropriate amount of water flow required.
4. Maintain Your Water Heater
Your water heater plays a pivotal role during wintertime, so servicing it regularly is of utmost importance to ensure smooth performance and energy savings. Cold temperatures make it more difficult to keep consistent temperatures consistent throughout its operation and this could result in lower efficiency or even breakdown if neglected properly.
Before winter sets in, contact a plumbing company in your area and get them to service your water heater. They’ll inspect it for potential issues and flush away any sediment build-up; all to help make sure the unit runs efficiently so you can count on continuous hot water throughout wintertime. Preventive maintenance ensures unexpected breakdowns don’t arise and ensures reliable hot water supplies.
6. Open Cabinet Doors
Pipes located under sinks or cabinets that face exterior walls may be exposed to colder air temperatures; one way of protecting these pipes against freezing conditions is opening their cabinet doors so warm air from around your house can circulate around these pipes, decreasing their risk of freezing and keeping your sink or cabinet warm.
Though seemingly minor, keeping cabinet doors open during periods of cold weather could make an immense difference in terms of protecting pipes from freezing over. Consulting a plumbing service to discuss specific steps tailored to your home to keep pipes warm is highly advised in avoiding frozen conditions this winter.
Conclusion
Don’t let cold weather catch you off guard this winter – by taking proactive steps with help from a plumbing service company and working closely, you can guard your home against common winter plumbing problems such as frozen pipes, malfunctioning water heaters, and unexpected leaks. Insulating pipes, keeping the home warm and ensuring routine maintenance services will provide peace of mind during these harsher months and save costly repair expenses down the line.