Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes: Tips You Need To Know
With winter in full swing, your water pipes may be at risk. If you live in an older home with more eccentric plumbing infrastructure, or insulation that doesn’t provide full protection for your home, this can affect your water pipes.
Any drop in temperature for a sustained period of time can, if it is below the freezing point, eventually reach unprotected water pipes, and freeze the water enough that the pipes are blocked.
Depending on your home’s plumbing situation, freezing pipes may mean losing access to one faucet, or it could mean you no longer have hot water running anywhere in your home. If you want to prevent or thaw pipes in your home, we’ve got some great tips that answer the following important questions.
Do You Have External Plumbing?
Plumbing that actually runs outside your home is the most at risk area for freezing pipes. If you don’t know the answer to this question, find out.
If the answer to this question is “yes,” make sure you find out exactly how much of your plumbing is external, and tag this plumbing as your “problem” areas since if any freezing is going to occur, it will be here first.
Do You Have An Attached Garage Or Attic?
Garages and attics usually have less—or no—insulation compared to other parts of your home. This means they allow cold in more easily. If you have any plumbing that runs through these areas, a minor mistake like leaving a window or door open in these areas can allow enough cold in to freeze your pipes. Always make sure these areas are sealed.
Do You Run Your Water Regularly?
Hot water that doesn’t circulate through your home doesn’t remain hot forever. It eventually cools down and, when exposed to colder temperatures, can freeze. However, if you turn on your hot water taps from time to time, not only do you circulate the water to prevent freezing, but the “fresh” hot water that comes through can also warm your pipes.
Do You Have Heating Tape?
If you don’t, but you have pipes at risk from freezing, get some! Heating tape is a long cord, available in various lengths, that is plugged into an electrical outlet and puts out a small amount of heat.
When wrapped around pipes, it gently applies that heat to ensure the metal never drops in temperature enough to freeze the water inside.
Do You Have A Frozen Pipe?
If you’ve already got a frozen pipe, you may be able to fix it yourself. If you can find a heat lamp, space heater, hair dryer or other source of indirect heat, apply it to the frozen area. It will take several minutes, but once the air warms up, it will warm the pipe, which will melt the water just enough that keeping a faucet on will eventually cause water pressure to break up the rest.
Vern Kummers Plumbing in Green Bay, WI is here for you to fix your frozen pipes, or come up with preventive solutions to make sure it never happens again. Call us today at 920-468-8756 for these and other plumbing needs!
