Frozen Pipes and Prevention

Winter brings with it many traditions. From building snowmen to making gingerbread houses to picking out the Christmas tree, there are many great traditions that come with this time of year—don’t make frozen pipes one of them! Winter can often result in plumbing issues if frozen pipes aren’t prevented or taken care of properly. By doing some maintenance around your home, you can effectively prepare for colder weather.

If frozen pipes burst, they can become an extremely expensive home disaster. Just one burst pipe in a home running at four to eight gallons a minute can do tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Bursts can occur when the water cools several degrees below freezing in the pipe, causing ice to form. This can result in pressure building up in excess of 3000psi, which can split the pipe and lead to eventual water damage once the water is thawed in the pipe.

• Open a faucet and allow a very small trickle of cold water to run to keep the water moving your pipes and prevent a freeze.
• Keep warm air circulating around your pipes—consider opening the under-sink cabinet to allow for more warm air to circulate.
• Place a small fan near your pipes and cabinets to keep the air moving.
• Make sure basement doors, windows, and crawl spaces are properly sealed and weather stripped.
• Insulate your external and / or exposed pipes with necessary pipe insulation materials.
• Drain out your sprinkler system before the winter season (disconnect and drain all outdoor hoses and water spigots).
• Seal and insulate your attic and consider replacing drafty windows and doors.
• Consider installing storm windows and protective plastic coverings for colder areas