Give your plumbing pipes a long life by preparing them for cold weather.
Give your plumbing pipes a long life by preparing them for cold weather. As the temperature drops, use these tips to ensure your plumbing lasts for years to come. Additionally, a tip for any time of year is always to turn off your water main if you are not home for a few days or more.
Perform a Full Home Exterior Inspection
Before the first snowfall of the season, it is a good idea to inspect the exterior of your home. Check for cracks in the siding or foundation. Inspect the seals of your windows and doors, ensuring no cold air can infiltrate your home. The roof and attic should be looked at for signs of damage and moisture, especially if you live in a house with a flat roof.
Insulate Exposed Pipes
Without proper insulation, exposed plumbing pipes can become a freezing hazard. Exposed plumbing pipes are usually located in garages, attics, crawlspaces, and basements. Frozen pipes can explode when the water melts but can also cause damage to the rest of your plumbing system. Installing insulation is an excellent solution, but consider installing a heat cable if you are looking for another layer of protection against frozen pipes. The heat cable will follow your plumbing, ensuring they are never able to freeze. Mahon Plumbing offers protection services to ensure your plumbing remains in top shape.
Shut Down Any Outdoors Water Sources
Before freezing temperatures arrive, you must turn off all your outdoor water spigots. You must also drain and disconnect any attached hoses to ensure they are not damaged during the winter. After turning off the water valve to your outdoor water source, you should let the spigot run until nothing comes out. Unless all the remaining water is removed from the pipe through this method, there is a chance your pipes can freeze and end up cracking. Once you have shut off the water valve, drained any hoses and spigots, cover your fixtures with some kind of insulator. Talk with our staff or your local hardware store about spigot covers. This cover will prevent any heat from leaking from the place your spigot comes out of. Sometimes the seal around the siding is not airtight, making it easy for warm air to escape.
Call Mahon Plumbing Today
If you still have more questions regarding your plumbing, we here at Mahon Plumbing are here to help. We have been serving the wider Baltimore area since 1994, so we have 25 years of experience to back up our fantastic service! Call us at our Baltimore location at 410-766-8566 or our Pasadena location at 410-636-7944. Be sure to keep up with us on social media by following us on Facebook or Twitter.