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Tips for Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes This Winter

Posted on January 27, 2017 by

Tips for Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes This Winter

As the temperature outside dips lower and lower, some of your pipes may be at risk of becoming frozen. When ice forms inside your plumbing, it exerts considerable pressure on the pipes that can lead to breaks resulting in flooding and costly damage to your home and belongings.

Fortunately, there are some easy to follow tips that you can complete to keep this from occurring in your home.

winterize_your_homeWatch for Exterior Plumbing

The first area where freezing is most likely to occur is on any plumbing fixtures outside of your home. These include exterior taps and hose bibs. They should be winterized every fall before freezing temperature arrives.

To do this, locate the accompanying shut-off valve found nearby inside the house. Close the valve and open the tap outside to allow water to drain out. Leave the tap open until the spring when you're ready to use it again.

Pipes in Your Attic or Garage

The next area of vulnerability is any space where plumbing is present inside your home that isn't adequately insulated or heated. These can include crawlspaces, the attic or the garage. To help keep the cold air out, be sure to keep the doors and windows to these areas shut at all times.

If freezing becomes a repeated issue in these trouble spots, your best option may be to have the pipes rerouted elsewhere or to invest in better insulation.

Use Heating Tape

You can find heating tape at most any plumbing supply or home improvement store. These devices have an electric heating element embedded inside the tape that helps to keep your plumbing warm.

Additional Tips That Can Help Prevent Frozen Pipes

  • Add foam insulation to your pipes
  • Keep cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks open
  • Run the hot water regularly to heat up your pipes

What to Do In The Event Of a Frozen Pipe

heating_efficiency_winterize_homeIf pipes freeze in your home, you should look after thawing them right away before the ice can damage your plumbing.

Use a hair dryer, space heaters or heat lamps to warm up the frozen pipes. The use of a blowtorch or another source of open flame is not recommended because they can be a fire hazard.

If frozen pipes remain a persistent problem in your Abingdon area home, the friendly experts at PlumbCrazy have the tools and know how to solve the issue. To book an appointment, call us today at 410-679-7575.