When you live in an area with a frigid winter, you have to prepare for the coming season with gusto. You can’t afford to ignore winter preparations that can save you time and money once the temperature begins to drop outside. The following tips can help you protect your pipes and plumbing system this winter, so you can sit back and enjoy the season. Leaks can be an expensive problem to resolve if they are allowed to continue unchecked and repaired. They can lead to mold damage from moisture or water damage from ruptures. It is best to prevent pipes from falling into disrepair.
There are many causes of leaky pipes:
Foundation Issues – A home’s foundation can settle and shift over time, depending on the soil. As it moves and shifts, it can cause your pipes to rupture and disconnect.
Water Pressure – When water moves through your pipes too fast, it can cause them to expand and the seams to weaken. Water pressure leads to damaging wear and tear on your pipes. This wear and tear can lead to leaks.
Tree roots – Water rushes through your pipes underground, and water vapors escape feeding roots of nearby trees. Those roots turn in the direction of the pipes in search of water. Eventually, trees burrow their roots into your pipes and cause leaks and ruptures.
Temperature – Temperature change is a massive issue in frigid climates. Water allowed to freeze and expand in pipes is harmful and creates leaks.
- Winterize your plumbing pipes: When pipes burst during the first freeze of the winter season, it’s a result of a failure to plan! When water is left inside pipes and allowed to freeze, the water expands as it becomes a solid, which breaks the pipe. Protecting your pipes doesn’t need to be a technical or fancy solution. You can insult your pipes and reduce the likelihood of water freezing inside by wrapping them in foam tubing. The foam tubes can be purchased from a home improvement store. Affix the tubes around your pipes and secure them using duct tape.
- Preventative Maintenance: The best way to ensure your pipes don’t pop this winter is to start the season off with a thorough inspection. If your pipes are in bad shape, all the winterizing and preparation will not help you. Going into the winter freeze with pipes in good condition can put you in a better position to weather the storms of the season. The team at All Klear All Hours can inspect your pipes before the temperature drops.
- Maintain a Steady Indoor Temperature: This step shouldn’t be too difficult for most of us! When the temperature drops outdoors, it sends most of us running for our nice and cozy homes. If you keep your home warm and comfy, you will be a step ahead in protecting your pipes. Your pipes are exposed to the outdoor air, but your home’s heating system can protect your pipes by warming your home. So, make certain you don’t let the temperature dip too low. If you keep your home nice and cozy, you can keep your pipes warmer, too!
- Leave Your Faucets on at Night: If you leave water flowing through your pipes at night, you are ensuring the water in your pipes keeps moving instead of sitting still and waiting to freeze. If you believe your pipes are already weakened by age, then you should make preparations before winter. It’s best to get leaks repaired as soon as you find them.
- Put Away Your Outdoor Hose: Garden hoses should be put away after summer. If a garden hose is allowed to stay connected to your plumbing system with water left inside, it can freeze, expand, and do serious damage to your faucets and pipes. The damage could result in leaks to your pipes, which would need to be replaced.
Protecting your plumbing system from threat is a serious business that should be taken to heart before the winter season is in full swing. You can save money and headache by heeding some sensible precautions. Make certain to inspect, protect, and maintain your plumbing system for the coming season, and call the experts at All Klear Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc. if you need help getting ready!
If you need services for your plumbing systems, please don’t hesitate to call the experts from All Klear Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc. at (417) 228-8252 or contact us online.