In winter, you never know when the temperature will crash and your pipes will freeze, especially overnight.
When water freezes, it expands. That often bursts pipes. The damage can be devastating, and even with insurance, the hassle is terrible.
Here’s how to keep it from happening to you.
Fix your trouble spots
If certain pipes freeze over and over, it’s always one of two things:
- Cold from outside is getting to them, or
- Heat from inside isn’t reaching them.
The usual suspects: pipes against exterior walls, pipes in crawl spaces under floors, and plumbing under sinks where cabinet doors block the heat. Fix those areas and you stop the cycle.
Open the sink cabinet doors
Closed cabinet doors can block enough heat to freeze the supply lines under a sink. Leave them open on cold nights so warm air can get in.
Let it drip
Faucet slowing down when it’s frigid outside? Don’t gamble. Crack it open so the water drips ever so slowly. Moving water often prevents freezing.
Use self-regulating heat wire
If you can reach the pipes, this is one of the easiest fixes. Thermostatic, self-regulating heat wire needs no controls. Tape it along the pipe or wrap it around, then plug it in.
When it’s cold, it heats up. When temperatures rise above freezing, it automatically stops. You can leave it plugged in year-round.
Insulate the right way
Pipes inside or against exterior walls need protection. Insulate between the pipe and the exterior wall, or wrap the pipe itself.
Don’t just lay insulation over a pipe that sits against an exterior wall. That traps it in the cold and keeps your home’s heat away from it, so it can do more harm than good. Can’t insulate? Use heat wire.
Disconnect your hoses
Even “drain-back” spigots will freeze if a hose is attached, because the hose traps water. Loosening the hose isn’t enough. Take it off completely.
Watch out during the thaw
Frozen pipes often split from the ice pressure inside, and the real mess shows up when they thaw. As temperatures rise, watch for leaks.
Extra protection: Electronic shut-off valves are available for the main water line coming into your home. Their sensors text your smartphone when they detect running water, and you can use your phone to shut off the main line.
Got a consumer problem? Call 303-MARTINO or get free help at tommartino.com/get-help/