Some people say that winter comes whether you’re ready or not. While this may be true, many Canadian homeowners are usually ready to deal with winter weather conditions outdoors. However, your home’s readiness is another matter. Your home’s plumbing systems and pipes can be severely affected by the drop in temperature. Here are five tips to help you make sure that your home’s pipes are ready for the cold and to prevent frozen or burst pipes this winter.
1. Insulate, Insulate, Insulate
Just as you need fleece, wool, and flannel to stay warm in below-freezing temperatures, so do your pipes, especially in unheated areas like attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Foam rubber or fibreglass sleeves are excellent insulation for exposed pipes. This extra layer helps maintain the water temperature inside the pipes, which reduces the risk of them freezing and requiring a frozen pipe repair. Similarly, outdoor pipes can benefit from specialized outdoor insulation.
2. Seal and Protect
Cracks and openings anywhere in your home’s exterior can affect your home’s ability to keep the cold out and maintain a warm enough temperature to avoid frozen pipes and the need for a burst pipe repair. Therefore, inspect your home for any cracks or openings before the winter freeze sets in. This is particularly important for outdoor water lines wherever pipes enter or exit your home. Seal any gaps with caulk or foam insulation. To protect your outdoor faucets, disconnect garden hoses and add faucet covers for extra protection from a frozen pipe repair.
3. Keep the Heat Flowing
A consistent ambient temperature of no lower than 13°C even when you are away is an important step towards preventing burst pipe repair. Opening sink cabinet doors during extended absences can help warm air circulate around the plumbing and prevent the pipes from freezing. Regular furnace maintenance and repair will help ensure sufficient home heating.
4. Let It Drip
A constant trickle of water moving through your pipes during cold temperatures can make it difficult for ice to form in your plumbing system. While you may have a slightly increased water bill, you will also have a much better chance of avoiding an even costlier frozen and burst pipe repair.
5. Know Your Plumbing
Get a maintenance inspection from your trusted plumber to learn which pipes are most at risk of freezing. These are often those along exterior walls or in unheated areas. Heat tape or heat cables with thermostat controls in these areas can save you from a burst pipe repair. It is also important to know where your main water shutoff valve is located, so you can quickly shut off your water supply if your pipes burst and thereby minimize water damage.
Prevent Frozen Pipes & the Need for Burst Pipe Repair
These five tips can help you prepare your home’s pipes for winter and avoid a messy and costly frozen surprise. However, if winter comes too quickly or too forcefully, and you need to deal with frozen pipes in in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Orangeville, Woodstock or the nearby areas, call Aire One KW. We offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services including burst pipe repair.