Winter is Coming… For Your Pipes!
Just like Jon Snow say “Winter is coming” in Game of Thrones HBO biggest tv series. Winter is almost here, are you and your pipes ready?
While going away on the holidays is a fun for the family, it is necessary to leave your home in the safest condition possible so that when you return, it is still in one piece. While you might be quick to cancel newspaper and hold Amazon deliveries, it is equally important to address the plumbing in the home to avoid major damage and unnecessary expense to your home. Leaving your home in winter, can lead to frozen and burst water pipes that are expensive to repair. It is far wiser to take these simple steps to prevent you from having to deal with the trauma of frozen pipes – or worse – on your return from holiday celebrations.
We don’t have very harsh and extreme winters that we face in Texas. Frozen pipes that burst can cause your home to flood, and unless it is dried up within the first 24 hours, may lead to significant and costly damage and in the long term, mold. Your water bill will also increase significantly with every drop of water wasted. You will incur costs in repairing and replacing damaged household goods. While you are most likely insured, it is preferable to prevent this type of damage in order to save money, hassle and inconvenience.
Rather be safe than sorry. Our master plumber recommends a number of precautions that you can take in order to prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting. Implementing these strategies will go a long way towards saving your water pipes and avoiding the unnecessary waste of water. You can install an emergency water shut-off device, which turns off the water supply in the event of a burst pipe.
Insulate the external condensing pipe of your hot water heater, as this can slow down the process of frozen pipes.
You must get hire a licensed plumber to service your heating system or boiler at least once every 12 months to ensure that the system is working efficiently and to slow down the process of water freezing in your home. Make sure the thermostat is not faulty and check out your boiler to your home. Insulating your external pipes might not be enough to prevent the water from freezing. You may want to consider adding additional trace heating by wrapping the thermostat with the trace heating under the lagging.
Not all older water storage tanks are insulated. Get your plumber to check the tank and add a hot water jacket to it, if necessary.
Try to generate as much warm air in your home as possible by leaving the bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors open to permit warmer air to circulate around the pipes.
Replace old washers on any dripping faucets to prevent freezing water from blocking the pipes. If possible, shut off the supply of water to any outside faucets and drain the system, as this will help slow down the process of water freezing in these pipes. Be sure to drain any hoses and roll them up for the winter.
Implementing the above steps can go a long way towards preventing hassles when you return home from holiday celebrations or visits. As an added precaution, if you’re planning on being away from home for more than 2 days, you could always ask a friendly neighbor to check in on your house while you are away. This should ensure that you come back to an intact home and you a ready take on the next year with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Parobek Plumbing offers a range of plumbing inspections and winterization services to help protect your plumbing this winter. Happy Holidays from all of us at Parobek Plumbing.
