How To Tell if a Home’s Pipes Are Ready for Wintery Temperatures
The holiday season is a fun time of year that comes with a lot of activities. With the holidays comes a change in weather that can expose shortcomings in a home’s plumbing. Despite the distractions and responsibilities that homeowners feel during the holidays, they should take the time to give attention to their home’s plumbing. Whether homeowners decide to inspect their plumbing themselves or hire a professional, it is essential that pipes be protected from freezing temperatures during the winter.
What Are the Damages Caused by Frozen Pipes?
Frozen pipes have the potential to cause huge amounts of damage. A home’s plumbing is designed to hold lots of water under pressure so that it is always ready to meet the demand placed upon it. When the piping system in a home is compromised, pressurized water is very quickly released into the house or out onto the lawn. Pipes that allow water into a home can quickly flood the inside of a home. When floods happen inside the home, it will promptly ruin wood and laminate floors. The standing water will soak up into the drywall in the walls, where it will require replacement and potentially mold.
Outdoor pipes that rupture can cause significant amounts of damage as well. Often, outdoor pipes that rupture are near foundation structures around the home. The rushing water can undermine structural supports that bear the load of the walls of the house, allowing foundations to crack and walls to shift. At the very least, outdoor pipes that burst can flood and freeze landscaping that has taken years to establish.
Preventing Pipes From Freezing
Preventing frozen pipes is the strategy of choice for homeowners. Some of the strategies that can prevent frozen pipes include:
- Proper Installation Techniques: Always work with experienced plumbers. Good plumbing practices are the first line of defense against frozen pipes.
- Let Faucets Drip: An easy way to protect pipes is to leave faucets dripping slowly when temperatures dip below freezing. This allows warmer water to continually flush through vulnerable piping.
- Insulate and Heat Tape: When there are no other options available, insulating pipes is the best way to keep them out of the cold. Wrapping them in heat tape can also add another layer of protection.
Options for Insulation
Having a professional install pipe insulation on pipes will prevent them from being exposed to the cold. The material of choice for wrapping residential pipes is foam or rubber insulation that comes in sections designed to slip around the pipe. These sections of insulation are slit down the middle, so installation is easy. Most types are also self-adhesive, so there is no need to tape or fasten the insulation onto the pipe.
Taking the time to insulate hose bibbs will help protect them from freezing. Hose bibs are easily and cheaply insulated with special foam cups that attach to the bibb and form a seal between the bibb and the siding on the house. The foam prevents the body of the valve from freezing and cracking, then subsequently flooding the lawn and wasting huge amounts of water.
About TR Miller Heating & Cooling
TR Miller Heating & Cooling is a third-generation family-owned plumbing contractor in Plainfield. Responsive emergency services are available all hours of the day to fix frozen or burst pipes. Customers enjoy their straightforward pricing and no-hassle scheduling.
