How To Avoid Costly Repairs Due To Weather Conditions
It’s that time of year again and the cold weather is setting in. However, chilly weather and freezing temperatures can be the cause of some pretty serious plumbing issues, resulting in costly repairs.
We’re here to give you the answer to this season’s plumbing problems—plumbing preventative maintenance.
6 Winter Plumbing Tips
1. Get Your Water Heater or Furnace Checked
Colder weather means you and the family will be spending more time indoors. However your home is heated, whether you use radiators, underfloor heating, or heated air, you’re going to be using a lot more of it in winter. A well-maintained water heater or furnace is less likely to malfunction, leaving you with costly repair bills.
2. Add a Light Bulb To Well Water or Pool Pump House
Does your house have well water or a swimming pool? If so, adding a 500-watt or infrared light bulb can help the water temperature stay above freezing, meaning you’ll always have access to fresh water, and the weather won’t shut off your supply.
3. Wrap Uninsulated Pipes
Freezing water expands—if this happens inside your pipes, it can cause rupturing. It is important to note that the leak will not be detectable until the pipe thaw out.
Your winter plumbing maintenance routine should include wrapping pipes on external walls, in exposed crawl spaces, and in mobile homes. You should use foam, towels, or wind barriers.
This insulation protection will significantly reduce the risk of pipes freezing and rupturing.
4. Locate Your Main Shut-Off Valve
No matter what you do, the likelihood of problems occurring increases dramatically during winter. One of the most important plumbing preventative maintenance steps you can take is to locate the valve that shuts off all water in your house.
If you have a major incident, such as a burst pipe, shutting off this valve will prevent drastic flooding of your home.
5. Protect Outside Pipes & Faucets
Outdoor pipes and faucets are most exposed to cold temperatures. To prevent freezing and damage, you should install faucet covers, put hay around your water meter, and blow out/drain outside water lines.
Often, outdoor pipes are underground, and encountering a problem can be difficult to diagnose and costly to rectify, so it’s best to prepare before issues occur.
6. Keep Faucets Dripping
Did you know moving water doesn’t freeze? To avoid faucet pipes freezing, it’s wise to keep them dripping as slowly as possible. Although this sounds counterintuitive, and you may think it will drastically impact your water bill, it won’t. The water is moving incredibly slowly and only dripping, so it has little to no impact on the amount you spend on water.
Avoiding Plumbing Repairs In Summary
To keep your plumbing operating at an optimum level and avoid costly callouts, the best course of action is to make a plumbing preventative maintenance list. The work you do before the cold weather sets in will be what enables you to avoid problems throughout winter.
For help with maintenance or plumbing repairs, get in touch today
