Protecting Your Home From Damage Due To Frozen Pipes

11 August 2019
 Categories: , Blog


Homeowners will often find that the arrival of extremely cold temperatures can often catch them by surprise. When this occurs, their pipes may be at a particularly high risk of becoming frozen, and unprepared homeowners may not be able to limit the impacts or damages that are caused by this issue.

Keep Water Flowing Through The Pipes

Water that is standing still will be far easier to freeze than water that is flowing. This is a reason for homeowners to leave their faucets running at least a little during nights when the temperature is supposed to get especially cold. While this might require wasting some water, it can dramatically reduce the risk of the water freezing and rupturing the pipes in the home. When leaving the faucets running, it is important to leave it at a little more than a drip. If the faucet is limited to just a drip, it may still be able to freeze as the water will barely be moving through the pipes.

Take Steps To Protect Pipes Below The Floors

Much of the plumbing in your home will be located under the floors of the house. Unfortunately, this can put the plumbing at a greater risk of encountering extremely cold temperatures. This is especially true when the foundation or crawlspace under the floor is not properly insulated against the cold. In these situations, a homeowner will want to reduce the threat of the pipes freezing by increasing the insulation in this part of the home or even installing thermal warmers that can keep the pipes above the freezing point. These upgrades can be relatively affordable, but they may require the plumbing system to be shut down for a few hours so that these upgrades can be made by a plumbing services company.

Know How To Respond To Frozen Pipes

In the event that the pipes in your home do freeze, it is important to understand how to respond to this situation so that they will limit the damage that occurs. One of the first things that you should do is to leave the faucets in the on position. This will allow the water to drain out of the pipes as it thaws. In the process, this will reduce the pressure on the interior of the pipes, which may help to stop them from rupturing due to the pressure. Additionally, the walls and floors near the pipes should be inspected for signs of leaks or water damage as this can be the main indication of this damage occurring.


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