Prevent Pipes from Freezing in Cold Weather
Whenever temperatures dip down to freezing, the pipes in your home are in danger of freezing. Frozen pipes are just that – Pipes that are filled with frozen water. When water expands inside the pipes, it can cause the pipes to burst. And with a burst pipe comes a flood of water and property damage. Here are a few simple things you can do to prevent pipes from freezing in cold weather.
Which pipes are a high risk?
Pipes in garage or crawl spaces, attics, and outside areas are at a high risk for freezing. To prevent frozen pipes, you’ll want to insulate these pipes before cold weather hits. Other pipes that are at risk for freezing include those that are connected to outside lines, such as the pipes under the kitchen sink.
How to prevent pipes from freezing
Disconnect garden hoses – Because the pipes outside are at risk of freezing, disconnect all garden hoses and store them away.
Cover outside faucets – Insulate outdoor faucets with an insulated cover. These can be purchased at any home improvement store for around $ 2.00. Cover each outdoor faucet!
Seal cracks – Use caulk to seal any cracks or holes on outside walls near pipes. This will help freezing air out.
Insulate pipes – Purchase inexpensive insulation sleeves to wrap around exposed pipes. Again, these can be purchased at any home improvement stores. Self-sealing sleeves are convenient, and won’t require an additional use of tape.
Keep pipes warm inside – Allow warm air to circulate to pipes under the sink by leaving the cabinet door cracked open. Don’t forget to do this in the bathroom, too!
Use heat tape – Heat tape (actually more of a heated wire than a tape) can be wrapped around pipes to keep them from freezing. The tape wraps around the pipe and plugs into an electrical outlet. It produces heat to keep the pipe warm during extremely cold weather.
Keep the home warm – It’s tempting to lower the temperature inside the house when you’re away, but to prevent pipes from freezing, keep it set no lower than 68 degrees. This is the case anytime you are away from home.
Let water trip – When the forecast calls for very cold temperatures, let the water in the faucet drip. This will provide relief from the pressure that builds-up in the faucet when freezing occurs.
Find the main water valve – Know where you need to go to shut off the main water supply. This is very important in the event the pipes were to burst. It can make the difference between several hundreds of dollars of damage, and thousands.
Know what to do if the pipes freeze – If, after all precautions have been taken, the pipes do freeze, know what to do. Read our tips on ‘How to thaw frozen pipes.’
More from Jennifer Wagner:
How to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof
How to prepare your furnace for winter
Caring for your hot water heater
Source: Personal experience
