Plumbing Techniques – Ways to Avoid Bursting of Broken Pipes in Winters

Plumbing Techniques – Ways to Avoid Bursting of Broken Pipes in Winters

Every winter homeowners are at risk of the damage and expense caused by frozen pipes. The horrifying nightmare of imaging a pipe burst in the chilly winters can be evaded if you are a little careful. By incorporating certain precautionary measures you can avoid having to call a flood mitigation company to come in and dry your home to prevent further damage. Following are a few precautionary measure that when installed can help you prevent a major catastrophe.

All outdoor hoses should be disconnected and drained before the gruesome onset of winters. Disconnect garden hoses and if possible use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This will help in the reduction of freezing of outside faucets and pipes.

Using unheated area to insulate plumbing pipes and plumbing faucets as the more you will insulate, the better your pipes will be protected. Use the option of insulating pipe sleeve, heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables as they are best for protecting the pipes from breaking. However, be sure to use products only as intended by the manufacturer!

Sealing off the access doors, air vents and cracks also prove very beneficial in avoiding the pipe to freeze. Make certain you do not plug air vents in your furnace or water heater in need for proper ventilation, and look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents and pipes. Use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out and the heat in.

Try to locate the master shut off in case of a leak and make sure everyone in your house is aware of its locations as well, in case of emergency. Usually it can be found where the water line comes into your house from the street.

Keeping the indoor plumbing hardware warm is also an essential step in order to avoid the bursting of pipes due to temperature fluctuations. For this one must open the cabinet doors of the kitchens and bathrooms to allow the flow of heat to get into the pipes and under the sinks. Keep a small trickle of water running at vulnerable cold and hot faucets and and vanities near the exterior walls.

Winterising a vacant home is another crucial step to avoid any plumbing problems. Before leaving the house, ensure that master shutoff or customer shut off valve should be absolutely shut off. Then open and thoroughly drain all household and outdoor water lines as even a single hole or trapped water can freeze causing pipes to expand and break. Once all the lines have been drained it is important to close all household and irrigation lines as well.

The ideal temperature at which one should set up the thermostat should not be lower than 55 degrees. However, maintaining low heat in your home does not necessarily ensure that your pipes will not freeze. Taking the precautions mentioned above before the cold weather hits could save you a lot of trouble and expense from frozen or broken pipes during the winters.