Water pipes may freeze and burst due to extreme cold our plumbers offer frozen pipe prevention tips.
Frozen pipes prevention tips
Cold temperatures with strong wind chills can result into freezing and bursting of pipes in commercial and residential buildings when temperatures and wind chill go that low. Note that freezing pipes can cause water pressure to build up causing cracks irrespective of the pipe material – plastic, steel or copper. With the tiniest of cracks you can have a pipe break – unleashing more than 250 gallons of water per day if not caught in time.
As North America’s biggest provider of plumbing repairs and drain cleaning services, our plumbers thaw and repair more frozen pipes than any other plumbing company. According to Paul Abrams, spokesman for Roto-Rooter, thawing pipes that leak and spew water after freezing (this begins in warm temperatures) is one of the worst problems to come by as a technicians .
We offer the following tips to prevent pipes from freezing which can cause flooding and expensive repairs. Taking these steps can help you to minimize risk and rate of frozen pipes.
- Always disconnect external water hoses. If connected, the water in hoses will freeze and cause faucets and connecting pipes in the home to freeze and break. All external faucets to be covered using an insulation kit.
- For leaking or dripping outside faucets, ensure all necessary repairs are made.
- If a washing machine is in an unheated area or garage, turn off water supply to the washer and disconnect hoses if lower temperatures are expected.
- Allow trickles of hot and cold water to drip overnight in sinks and bathtubs with pipes running along all outside walls.
- All kitchen and bathroom cabinets under sinks can be opened to allow heat in the room to circulate around pipes.
- Make sure to insulate water pipes in unheated areas like your garage or attic space. Use a heat tape around pipes that are prone to freezing.
- Ensure that the furnace is on and set to a prime temperature to keep your areas warm
What to do if your pipes are already frozen.
- Turn off the main water supply to the building. The takes out any pressure on the frozen pipes and reduce flooding if the pipes burst. If you will be traveling and are away from home for some time, this is a must.
- For exposed frozen pipes, use a hair dryer directly to the ice blockage. Never use an open flame.
- Check the exposed pipes for possible leaks. If the water mains are on, the pressure will be enough to show leaks once the pipes has been thawed.
- Get in touch with a professional plumber that has pipe-thawing equipment to thaw the pipes and make necessary repairs.
- Let the plumber check all the pipes that have a chance to freeze even if no leak was observed. With the pipe material stretched and experiencing fatigue, replacements may be necessary to avoid putting the pipes at risk.
- Our water cleanup team can dry your home professionally removing all water in the event of a burst or leaking pipe.
