One of the most common plumbing issues homeowners face during the winter months is the possibility of frozen pipes. The most vulnerable pipes are those which are located outside the home, like outdoor faucets or those located in an unheated storage building or garage. These water lines are exposed to more extreme cold, typically are not heated and need extra protection to keep them from freezing and bursting under pressure.
Insulating Exposed Pipes
Any pipe exposed to the elements needs insulation to prevent freezing. During cold weather, outside faucets should have the water valve turned off and all water drained before insulating the pipes. All pipes should be wrapped in insulation or heat tape to keep them protected. A secondary precaution is to wrap plastic over the insulation to protect the pipes from moisture.
In addition to pipes which are directly located outside, make sure to protect pipes in garages, out buildings and even those in the home which are on an outside wall. It only takes one cold night to freeze a forgotten pipe, and cause damage to your plumbing. Make sure you check and insulate all pipes that have even the slightest exposure to the cold weather outside.
Even insulation does not always prevent all frozen pipes. If you suspect that a pipe is frozen, you need to shut the water off to the affected pipe before thawing. The pipe may be already cracked, so when it thaws, the water can flow out of the crack unchecked. This can be dangerous if you use an electrical device to thaw the pipe, and can cause severe damage to your home. In such cases, it’s best to have a professional attend to potentially frozen pipes in order to avert the worst of the trouble.
Posted on behalf of Shawn Bynum, Bynum Plumbing
