The importance of keeping your plumbing system ready for winter cannot be emphasized enough. That is because if not done correctly, or not done at all, then pipes can burst during the cold season. And repairing these pipes often tends to be expensive. You may want to avoid this situation by considering the following tips:
1. Insulate the Pipes in Your Home
This is one of the first things to do when preparing your plumbing system for the winter. Since the basement and garage are some of the areas prone to freezing, it makes sense to insulate pipes in these places. However, pipes under your closets and sinks can freeze, too.
This means you should make sure they are insulated as well. One effective way to insulate the pipes in your home is to use pipe insulation or heat tape. Make sure all the pipes that are exposed are well wrapped, especially those in unheated areas.
2. Keep the Faucet Dripping
If the temperature is expected to plummet to freezing, make sure you turn on the faucet whose pipes are running along an exterior wall. This ensures a slow drip, which basically means water will keep flowing. And with water flowing, the chances of freezing taking place will be greatly reduced. Besides, keeping your faucet dripping will prevent your pipes from bursting in case the water freezes. It does this by preventing pressure from building up between an ice formation and the faucet.
3. Check Whether Any Pipes Are Leaking
Checking and fixing leaking pipes is much more important during winter. That’s because even a tiny amount of water, when frozen, can cause the pipes in your home to burst. You can only notice leaks by checking for them. If you find one, make sure you repair it right away. If the leaks are in hard-to-reach areas, you should contact a local plumber. Using dedicated tools, a professional plumber will help you repair all the leaks in your home.
4. Keep the Crawl Space Sealed Off
A ventilated crawl space can attract all sorts of problems during winter. That is why it is important that you have it sealed off during this period. To effectively seal off your crawl space, you will need thick cardboard and duct tape.
One key reason why you are supposed to seal off crawl space vents is that you want to protect the pipes that run through them as much as possible. By sealing off crawl space vents, you will be preventing cold air from getting into the space. Ideally, if in the place of a crawl space, you have a basement, you should inspect the windows to make sure they are not allowing in any cold air.
It is always a good idea to work with a plumber when it comes to keeping your plumbing system safe from the harsh conditions normally experienced in winter. Apart from fixing leaks and even draining your water heater, an experienced plumber will provide you with lots of important tips for keeping your plumbing system working efficiently.
Contact Evenflo Plumbing from Corvallis, OR, today to get help with all your plumbing needs.
