What to Do If You Have Frozen Pipes

June 25th, 2019 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Most people know that freezing temperatures can lead to plumbing problems. Unfortunately, circumstances can occur where a pipe becomes frozen unexpectedly. If a cold snap starts before you insulate exposed pipes or you are away from home when the cold weather hits, you may find yourself with frozen pipes. Here are some steps to take to minimize the damage to your plumbing and home.

  • Is there damage to the pipe? If water has leaked or you can see pipe damage, shut off the main water valve and call a plumber right away. Make sure to keep electrical appliances away from the leaked water to avoid electrical shock until you can effectively dry the surfaces in your home.
  • No leaks? Turn on the faucets. Turn on the heat and open the faucets. In some cases, the water can begin to thaw and if caught early, the pipes can be undamaged. However, if there are any signs of leaks, shut off the main valve and contact a plumber to repair your plumbing.
  • Do not apply direct heat! Using a space heater to close to a frozen pipe or torch to thaw pipes can be dangerous and cause more damage. Bring up the indoor temperature and keep the faucets open to allow the pipes to thaw if there is no damage.

Insulating pipes and keeping buildings warm can help prevent frozen pipes in cold weather. However, if you find yourself with frozen plumbing, be careful to avoid burst pipes and water damage to your home. Contact a plumber to inspect your plumbing and repair any pipes that are damaged at the first sign of frozen plumbing in your home.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(404) 973-2471

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Preventing Frozen Plumbing Pipes

January 5th, 2018 Posted in Water Line Repair
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Every year, thousands of homes become victim to frozen water pipes, especially in areas that have milder climates. While colder regions construct their homes with careful attention to insulating water pipes, milder or warmer regions may skimp on the insulation. This can leave unsuspecting homeowners with a burst pipe that can cause thousands of dollars in damage to their home when a cold weather snap hits. Here are some tips to prevent frozen plumbing pipes to avoid damage to your home.

  • Add insulation. While it may be expensive to insulate the pipes under your home, it can be a smaller cost than the damage these pipes can cause if they freeze. Talk to your local plumber about insulation options if you have had frozen pipes in the past.
  • Keep the house warm. A warm house can be enough to stop freezing pipes. Set your thermostat for at least 58 degrees to keep it warm enough to prevent frozen pipes, even if you are not home.
  • Wrap exposed pipes. You can wrap insulating plumbing tapes around exposed pipes in your garage, crawl space or outdoor faucets to prevent freezing.
  • Run a trickle of water on cold nights. While wasteful of water, a trickle of water left running on the coldest nights can help prevent freezing by keeping the water in the pipes moving.

If you do get a frozen pipe (no water coming to your faucet), call in an expert water line repair plumber. A plumber can locate the frozen pipe and often prevent it from bursting. While you will still have a small expenditure for the plumber service, it is much less expensive than the damage a burst water pipe can cause.

Posted on behalf of:
Bynum & Sons Plumbing, Inc.
2120 McDaniels Bridge Rd SW
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 884-4678

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Thawing a Frozen Water Pipe

December 20th, 2012 Posted in Water Line Repair
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If you live in an area that experiences particularly cold winters, your water pipes could be vulnerable to freezing. Turning your faucet on and finding that nothing is coming out suggest that a section of the pipe has frozen and action should be taken as quickly as possible to thaw the pipe and prevent it from bursting. Whether you do it yourself or call out a plumber to fix the problem for you, thawing a frozen pipe will significantly cheaper than water line repairs due to a burst water pipe.

Whether you are able to effectively thaw the pipe yourself will usually depend on your ability to identify the frozen section and the accessibility of that section of pipe. One of the simplest and most effective DIY methods is through the use of a hairdryer. Remember to leave the faucet connected to the frozen pipe open and heat the pipe from the faucet slowly moving back towards the blockage. This way as the ice begins to melt it is able to run freely out of the pipe.

A heat lamp or portable heater work in a similar way to the hairdryer and work particularly well for thawing pipes running through small spaces. This is another safe and effective DIY method.

Electric heating tape is another technique that should be considered. You wrap it around the frozen pipe and plug it in and the electrical elements inside will heat the pipe. This is also an effective preventative measure and can be left on the pipe and simply turned on whenever you feel the pipe is at risk of freezing again.

If the pipe is not easy to reach or you are unsure of the exact location of the freeze, your best option is to call out for the services of a reputable plumber. They will do the job properly and professionally and be able to give you tips on how to prevent it from freezing over again in the future.

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