How to Protect House Pipes from Freezing
Once winter arrives with its cold temperatures, the last thing you want to be dealing with is frozen pipes in your house. A frozen pipe is not only an inconvenience, but also sets the stage for the pipe bursting at some point. Should this happen, you’ll find yourself not only having to worry about getting the pipe replaced, but also paying to have water damage cleaned up in multiple areas of your home. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to protect your house pipes from freezing, and our team here at Boss Plumbing is at the ready with some of the best tips for you to keep in mind prior to winter’s arrival.
Which Indoor Pipes Are Most Likely to Freeze?
There are many indoor pipes inside your home that are susceptible to freezing during the winter months.
First are the pipes in the outer walls of your home, since these often don’t get as much heat as other areas and thus are more prone to developing frozen pipes when the weather gets very cold.
Along with pipes in your home’s outer walls, also pay close attention to any pipes that are located in your home’s attic or crawl spaces. Since these pipes are often out of sight, they tend to also stay out of mind for many homeowners. One of the best things you can do is insulate these pipes before winter by purchasing pipe insulation at a local hardware store. An easy DIY project, doing so will give you peace of mind and protect your home from potentially suffering major water damage from burst pipes.
Pipes in unheated cabinets or unused areas of your home, such as spare rooms or utility rooms, should also be given attention prior to winter. Here at Boss Plumbing, we often find this to be a winter problem in many older homes, since these homes tend to have cast iron pipes that are well past their prime and need to be replaced.
Finally, if your home has a basement, we recommend these pipes be insulated as well. Keep in mind that even if you have a basement that you think is warm enough, chances are the pipes that are visible inside your basement plus the ones that may be hidden inside walls are likely experiencing much colder conditions than you imagine. If you fail to give these pipes the attention they deserve, you could find yourself needing home water line repair services that could be extensive and cost thousands of dollars.
How Do I Keep My House Pipes From Freezing?
Once you become aware of just how many bathroom pipes and kitchen pipes could be vulnerable to freezing during the winter, you’ll be wondering how to keep your house pipes from freezing. Since our Boss Plumbing team has been in business for decades, we’ve got plenty of great tips for you on this topic.
First, always insulate your pipes, especially any exterior pipes that will be exposed to the harsh elements that accompany winter. Also give priority to pipes in crawl spaces and attics, since they will get almost as cold as exterior pipes. For best results, we recommend not only using pipe insulation, but also heat cables along the pipes to keep them as warm as possible.
We also suggest you learn to love the slow drip of water from various faucets in your home. By just barely keeping the water on at your faucets so that only a tiny trickle of water is going through the pipes, this will create just enough pressure to keep the pipes from freezing and bursting. Even though you may not like the few extra dollars this may add to your water bill over the winter, it will pale in comparison to what a major pipe replacement and water damage cleanup bill will total.
You should also open up your crawl space doors and the doors to unheated cabinets, especially in your bathroom and kitchen. This will let warm air begin to circulate around the pipes in these areas, and we can assure you this can make a world of difference. Even though you may think the variation in temperature is minimal, it is those few extra degrees that will keep your pipes from bursting over the winter.
Wrapping your pipes is another great option we here at Boss Plumbing are always suggesting to our customers. Pipe sleeves are easy to install, cost only a few dollars at the hardware store, and are well-known for offering maximum protection against frozen pipes. Heat tape is another option you may want to consider. Similar to heat cables and often used in conjunction with them, heat tape can be attached to your pipes found in poorly-insulated areas and helps to keep water flowing when temps turn very cold. Able to last for three years or maybe more, the cost is very reasonable and installation is an easy DIY on the weekend.
Last but not least, always make sure your furnace has been thoroughly serviced prior to winter’s arrival so that any potential problems can be repaired. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with frozen pipes and a furnace that’s not working, which is a combo you don’t want to have on a cold winter night. As for adjusting your thermostat, we recommend keeping your home’s thermostat above 55 degrees throughout the winter, since this will ensure just enough warm air reaches even the pipes that are most vulnerable to freezing.
Call On Us to Protect Your Pipes
If you’ve got questions about the advantages and disadvantages of copper pipes and the types of plumbing services we offer to residential customers here in Los Angeles, contact us today for additional information. Once you do, you’ll discover our tremendous customer service, expert knowledge about how to protect your pipes from freezing, fair pricing, same-day service, and so much more.
