The cold air of the winter season can cause the pipes of your home’s plumbing system to freeze and burst, causing water damage and flooding to occur. Taking numerous preventative measures before winter can reduce or even remove the risk of frozen pipes and various other problems that happen to plumbing systems during winter.
Where Problems are Most Likely to Happen
There are some pipes at home that are more at risk of freezing. Pipes with a higher chance of freezing at home include: those exposed in parts of the home that are not heated, pipes in outer walls, and those located on the house’s exterior.
What We Can Do for Pipes Outside of the House
Garden hoses that have become frozen do more damage than busted hoses as they can actually burst interior pipes. Freezing water in a hose expands, causing a pressure rise in the entire plumbing system. Thus, see to it that you make the disconnection, drainage, and storage of garden hoses a part of the maintenance required each season.
If you do not have any frost proof spigots, be sure of doing the following: 1.) closing the interior shut off valve that leads to that tap, 2.) opening and draining the spigot, and 3.) installing a tap insulator. Tap insulators do not cost much and are a great investment. Also, do not forget to winter-proof outdoor kitchens so they do not get damaged.
Dealing with Exposed Pipes in the House
Exposed basement pipes are not really at risk of freezing since these are located in a part of the home that is heated. However, pipes in unheated areas like the crawl space, garage, and attic might become frozen if left unattended during winter.
Foam insulation usually works for houses in areas with slightly cold climates. If, however, your homes are located in very cold areas, however, it is best to have problem pipes wrapped with heat tape instead.
How to Deal with Under-Insulated Walls
If the pipes that go through outer walls have become frozen at some point in the past, it probably is due to the lack of insulation or the improper installation of one. To solve this issue, have insulation installed for you by reliable handymen. If it does not work, the best option is to have pipes rerouted.
Do you plan to head elsewhere during winter?
If you are leaving home for quite some time during the winter, you have to take more preventative measures. These are: 1.) setting the furnace to above 55 degrees, 2.) shutting the primary water supply off, and 3.) opening the taps and flushing toilets to drain the whole system.
These are the things that must be done to winter-proof the plumbing system of your house. Of course, it is also a must to get your plumbing assessed from time to time so problems can be found immediately. For assessment and a wide range of plumbing services, check out http://www.drdrip.com.au.