Winter can have some pretty drastic effects on your plumbing unless you follow these tips.
We’re all feeling the cold this winter! When the temperatures drop below zero, even just for a few days, it can be catastrophic for your plumbing fixtures and pipes in your home. Here are a few tips to help you avoid a cold-weather plumbing disaster and have a comfortable, albeit very cold, winter.
Protect your Pipes
Freezing pipes is the most dangerous plumbing problem to have in the winter. When your pipes freeze in your home, they are at increased risk of bursting and flooding your home. Make sure your pipes are well insulated with heat tape or insulated sleeves, or consider an insulated blanket and the heat flow in your home is open with no furniture is blocking vents. If your pipes are in an unprotected or unheated space in your home, keep a slow trickle of water running to those faucets throughout the winter. If your pipes do freeze, locate the spot where your pipe has frozen and open the faucets connected to that pipe. Once the pipe begins to thaw, the water will begin to flow again as running water through a pipe will help to melt that ice.
Shut off your Garden Hose
If you haven’t properly shut off your outdoor hose bib and removed your hose, you are setting yourself up for a repair job in the spring. Preparing your outdoor plumbing for the cold includes closing and draining your shut-off valves to any pipes that lead outdoors. If you haven’t done that yet this winter, do it as soon as possible.
Set a Minimum Temperature
If you’re vacationing this winter to escape the cold, that’s great! To ensure you don’t come home to a disaster, set your thermostat to at least 55F, that will prevent your plumbing from freezing in your home. Also, keeping your cupboards open, especially those that back to an outside wall, can keep warmer air circulating throughout your home.
Locate your Main Shutoff Valve
Just in case of a plumbing emergency, everyone in your home should know where the main shutoff valve is in your house. This way you can stop a flood from getting worse, minimizing flood damage.
Get in Touch With Mahon Plumbing
Mahon Plumbing has been serving the Baltimore region’s plumbing needs since 1994. We’re ready to offer quality plumbing services and gas installation for both commercial and residential uses. Our tracks and employees are ready to handle the toughest of jobs.
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