What should you do?
If you live in New York, the arrival of winter weather conditions represents a quiet danger to your home. As the chilly temperatures gradually set in, perhaps the most significant risk to property damage in New York is frozen pipes. To safeguard your home against excessive repairs and water damage to walls, floors, and assets, it pays to get taught the risks of water freezing inside pipes and figure out how to avoid a plumbing catastrophe.
Whenever pipes freeze, you might lose access to running water. Ponder how frequently you use water - to clean up every day, wash your dishes, drink water, and prepare food for your family. Frozen pipes will forestall the progression of water in your pipes and might make your lines burst.
As water freezes, it extends and could burst your lines. Pipes typically don’t explode in areas that contain ice. Instead, the water pressure that develops makes the lines burst. Your attic, basement, and garage are most vulnerable to pipe eruption since pipes are typically uncovered in these areas of the home. You could likewise encounter pipes bursting in different parts of the house, regardless of whether you have proper insulation.
If your pipes burst, your home can suffer water damage and flooding. To safeguard your home, you want to figure out how to keep lines from freezing and then take the proper precautions.
TIPS TO PREVENT YOUR PIPES FROM FREEZING
Your first line of guard to keep away from pipes freezing in the winter is keeping up with the proper inside temperature throughout your home. You might need to stroll through your home and search for any vulnerable lines and spaces that are more prone to lower temperatures. Follow these tips for the most effective ways to keep pipes from freezing.
ENSURE LINES IN HIGH-RISK AREAS ARE PROPERLY INSULATED.
Proper insulation will safeguard pipes from freezing. Insulation is relatively simple to install. However, a professional plumbing company could likewise come in and install it for you. Even though insulation will control the temperature of your lines, openness to delayed frosty temperatures could, in any case, freeze your lines.
You can utilize fiberglass insulation sleeves, polyethylene covers, or foam covers to insulate your lines. In case of an emergency, you can also use duct tape and newspaper, but make sure to replace this sort of insulation with a more long-lasting one when you have the opportunity.
SEAL CRACKS AND OPENINGS IN YOUR HOME
Throughout the winter season, cracks in your windows and door frames, as well as cable holes, could give draft access to your home and lower your indoor temperature. Assuming you notice any breaks or openings, seal or caulk them to safeguard your pipes and your home's insulation. It would be best to seal both your walls' interior and exterior sides for optimal protection.
Keep the garage door shut, especially if your water supply lines go through your garage. Likewise, you ought to check dryer vents and water pipes since they run from the outside to the inside of your home.
USE ELECTRIC HEATING TAPE ON EXPOSED PIPES GOING THROUGH ATTICS AND BASEMENTS
The heating tape acts as a warm blanket around your pipes to keep them warm and cozy throughout the cold weather months. If you can get to your pipes, wrap heating tape over the lines in the unheated region of the home - like the attic or the basement - to assist them in withholding heat. Heating tape is safe when utilized appropriately, so try to adhere to the maker's guidelines for use.
You can browse two sorts of warming tape for your lines. Self-monitoring heating tape has a sensor and can turn on and off depending upon when the pipes need heat. Manual heating tape should be plugged in when the temperature drops.
MAINTAIN THE APPROPRIATE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
It would help if you kept your thermostat temperature consistent throughout the day. Although you might need to bring down the temperature around evening time to save money, a burst pipe will cost significantly more money than a couple more dollars on your energy bill. Keep your heat on throughout the winter, particularly during evenings under 20 degrees in your home, to safeguard pipes from freezing and exploding.
You should likewise keep inside doors open during freezing days to maintain your internal temperature. Since your pipes are in all probability situated in your cupboards, particularly on an exterior wall, keeping your cabinet doors open can assist with managing the temperature in your home. When you keep your kitchen and bathroom cupboards open in frigid temperatures, conceal your cleaners containing harmful chemicals to safeguard your kids. You could likewise keep your room and washroom entryways open to permit heat to course through your entire house.
If your heat runs out, you can utilize a space heater to warm an especially chilly region in the house. For weak pipes, blow hot air on them with a hairdryer.
WHAT TO DO IF PIPES ARE ALREADY FROZEN?
Frozen lines are a wintertime hazard for homeowners. To avoid frozen lines or burst pipes that can cost a considerable amount to fix, consider the signs and preventative actions you should take. In the following circumstances, you should look at your lines to keep them from freezing or exploding:
- Before you leave for a vacation, you should look at your pipes as a safety measure
- When the temperature plunges to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower
- Whenever water isn't moving from the faucet or just a trickle comes out
- Whenever you see ice or ice buildup on uncovered pipes
- When you smell oil or gas coming from your pipes
Commonly, residential lines will only freeze if they are directly exposed to outside elements, left in a very cool climate, or under-insulated. Prevent freezing pipes by covering pipes where freezing might happen, including:
- Pipes that go through exterior walls, particularly in poorly insulated houses.
- Uncovered lines and sprinkler lines in frequently under-heated areas, like the attic or basement.
- Pipes uncovered on the home's exterior can explode and cause extensive harm to your property and your internal plumbing system.
If you suppose that your pipes are frozen, find the source of the freeze before attempting to defrost them. Typically, only a piece of your line freezes, so you should discover where there is ice buildup in your pipes. You can see the part of your frozen line if you have access to it. However, on the off chance that a line is frozen inside your wall, you might have to call an expert to assist you with defrosting it.
WHAT IF A PIPE BURSTS?
If your lines are frozen and have already exploded, you want to avoid potential risks while defrosting your pipes. The initial step to defrosting your frozen lines is to switch off your water supply. When you thaw the lines, all the water that has built up will spout out and flood your living space. While thawing burst pipes, have a mop, pail, or towel prepared on the off chance that the frozen water thaws and spills onto your floors.
CONTACT A LOCAL PLUMBING PROFESSIONAL IF YOU SUSPECT A PIPE IS DAMAGED
While there are many tricks and convenient fixes for dealing with frozen pipes, you will be safer and more successful if you hire a professional plumbing company. Our Order a Plumber Inc. team will inspect your pipelines for leaks and bursts and fix your plumbing as needed.
At Order a Plumber, we take the guesswork out of everything and help you with all your service needs. When you need help keeping your home warm and comfortable this winter, we are here for you. If you have problems or would like to install a new boiler, Contact Us at Order A Plumber today for all your home plumbing needs..
If you are in need of plumbing help, call (631) 234-0687 now or schedule a service online!