One of the biggest plumbing problems you might face during the winter is frozen pipes. A frozen blockage in your pipes doesn’t just stop water from flowing through them; it can cause your pipes to leak or even burst. You should never hesitate to bring in our experts from True Climate Heat + Air if you have a burst pipe or any other plumbing problems in your home, but there are things you can do to help keep your pipes from freezing this winter.
1. Insulate Your Exposed Pipes
The pipes in your home that are the most vulnerable to freezing are the exposed pipes in your basement, garage, and any other space that isn’t heated or properly insulated. The best way to protect these pipes from the cold is to wrap them in pipe insulation. You should be able to find pipe insulation at practically any hardware store. If you’re facing an unexpected cold snap and don’t have the time or ability to make it to a store near you, you can try wrapping your exposed pipes in some old towels and blankets. It’s by no means a perfect solution, but it should keep your pipes from freezing until you can buy some proper insulation.
2. Check Your Home’s Insulation
While we’re on the subject of insulation, check to make sure that your home is properly insulated before the temperature drops this winter. Home insulation can last anywhere from 15 to 100 years depending on what it’s made of. Fiberglass has the shortest life span at 15 to 30 years, while materials such as rock wool or spray foam can last for up to 100 years if they’re installed correctly. If you know it’s been a while since your insulation has been updated, have it checked out. Take some time to seal any gaps in your windows or other drafts, especially if they’re near any of your plumbing.
3. Winterize Your Outdoor Faucets
Since you probably won’t be using your outdoor faucets this winter, take the time to winterize them. First, remove any hoses that you keep attached to them and store those safely. Next, find the main shutoff valve for your outdoor faucets and turn it off. Finally, open your faucets to let all the remaining water in your pipes drain out. These faucets and the pipes attached to them are especially vulnerable to freezing temperatures, so take care of this in the late fall before it gets really cold outside.
4. Open the Cabinets Under Your Sinks
If you have cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks, open them up in anticipation of freezing temperatures. This will expose the plumbing under the sinks to the warm air circulating through your home and keep it from freezing. If you do this and you have small children or pets in your home, make sure to remove any chemical cleaners and other potentially hazardous materials.
5. Keep Your Faucets on at a Trickle
If you’re expecting freezing temperatures or you’re going to be out of town for a few days, turn some of the faucets in your home on to a trickle, especially those on your house’s upper floors. Running water is less likely to freeze, so keeping even a trickle moving through your pipes should be enough to keep them safe. This may impact your water bill slightly, but it still won’t be as expensive as repairs for a burst pipe.
6. Don’t Turn Off Your Heat
It may be tempting to turn off your furnace if you’re going to be out of town for the winter, but that could be a costly mistake. Without heat, the temperature in your home will fall drastically, and you could come home to frozen or leaky plumbing.
Instead of shutting your furnace off completely, lower your thermostat to about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This should be warm enough to keep most of your home’s plumbing from freezing, but it isn’t high enough to leave you with too much of a heating bill. As a bonus, you also won’t be coming home to an ice-cold house after your trip.
What to Do if Your Pipes Freeze
Even if you follow all of these tips, there’s still a chance that your pipes could freeze during a particularly cold winter. Signs of frozen pipes include water that comes out as a trickle when your faucets are used, banging or whistling sounds coming from your pipes, and frost forming on the outside of pipes. If you suspect that your pipes are frozen, find the main shutoff valve for your home’s water supply and shut it off. Frozen water can put a lot of strain on your pipes and cause them to leak or burst, which can do a lot of damage to your home once your pipes thaw and water can flow freely again.
Once the water supply to your home is shut off, it’s time to try thawing your pipes. Open the faucets in your home so that water can flow freely once the pipes are thawed. This will be a good indicator that your plumbing is mostly back to normal, and the flowing water will help any remaining ice to melt.
If you know which pipe or pipes are frozen, you can try thawing by gently applying heat with a hair dryer, electric blanket, or a space heater. Try to thaw the pipes slowly, and do not use anything with an open flame as this can quickly turn into a fire hazard.
Once you’re reasonably sure that your frozen pipes have thawed, slowly turn the water supply to your home back on. Keep a close eye out for leaks, cracks, or burst sections of pipes. Pay close attention to joints as these are the most likely places to spring a leak.
If you suspect that you have a leak or a burst pipe anywhere in your home, do not try to fix the problem yourself. This should only be repaired by a licensed plumber. Signs that you may have a leak include pools of water near the frozen pipes and dark water stains on your walls, floor, or ceiling.
Your Local Resource
Your plumbing system is more complicated than you might think, and frozen pipes can complicate things even further. These tips will help keep your pipes from freezing, but there may come a time when you’ll need to call a plumbing professional for help. If that’s the case, our team at True Climate Heat + Air will be happy to assist you. We are an HVAC and plumbing company that has served homes in Oklahoma City, OK and the surrounding areas since 2005. In addition to a full line of heating, cooling, and indoor air quality installation, repair, and maintenance, we offer emergency services in case freezing weather has caused your pipes to leak or burst. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you see signs of a leak or if you’re uncomfortable thawing frozen plumbing yourself. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have and make sure that your plumbing is in good shape. To obtain more information about our plumbing services or request our help, contact us at True Climate Heat + Air in Oklahoma City today.
