Don’t Let Frozen Pipes Ruin Your Holiday Gatherings
Homeowners may love a winter wonderland for the holiday season, but the cold can take its toll on parts of their houses. A home’s plumbing is particularly vulnerable to the ravages of the winter. For pipes that are poorly installed, the cold can cause the water inside them to expand and crack the pipes.
When a pipe bursts from freezing, the results can be disastrous. Water can rapidly flood any nearby area, ruining floors and walls or flooding lawns and damaging foundations. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to minimize the risk that pipes pose for a home.
Ensure Pipes are Insulated
The best solution for pipes that are vulnerable to freezing is to reroute them to where they aren’t exposed to the cold. If this isn’t a viable option, the next best solution is to insulate the pipes and run heat tape along them. Insulation is a cheap and easy way to prevent freezing. Pipe insulation comes in lengths that are easy to install around any exposed pipe. The insulation can be made of fiberglass, foam, or rubber.
If insulation alone doesn’t seem like it will do the job, heat tape can be run underneath the insulation for added protection. Heat tape is a special material with electrical resistance properties that allow it to gently warm the pipes that it is installed around. The heat tape will need to be plugged in somewhere that is weatherproof. Other than that, there’s nothing to it. The insulation and heat tape will protect pipes for years without needing any more attention.
Let Faucets Drip
A simple solution to prevent freezing pipes is to simply let faucets drip during cold snaps. This may sound crazy, but the principle is simple. As water flows to a home, it does so underground below the frost line. Below the frost line, the ground is a consistent temperature, usually around 50 degrees.
By letting faucets drip, it keeps water slowly flowing through vulnerable pipes. The water in the pipes is relatively warmer than the surrounding cold air, thus preventing the pipes from freezing. Turning each faucet on so that it barely drips is usually enough to keep the water flowing through the pipes during an arctic blast.
Keep Thermostats at a Consistent Temperature
Keeping the inside of a home at a consistent temperature is very important for preventing frozen pipes. Since people usually live in homes, the thermostats are set so that comfort is maintained. However, in the case of a family going on vacation or a seasonal home that won’t be occupied for a while, many people decide to turn the central heating off or lower the thermostat to save on utilities.
This can cause a scenario where pipes may freeze, and since the home is unoccupied, burst pipes can be disastrous. Instead, try keeping the temperature of the house above 55 degrees. This is enough to ensure the pipes won’t freeze while also not being wasteful on utilities.
About Ed Rike Plumbing, Heating, & Air
Ed Rike Plumbing, Heating, & Air boasts over 70 years of combined plumbing, heating and air experience in Dayton amongst their master technicians. They charge by the job, not the hour, so customers are never left paying more than what they expected. Each of their residential and commercial customers gets the same meticulous attention from their craftsman. Call Ed Rike Plumbing, Heating, & Air today for burst pipe repair in Dayton, OH.
