Having frozen pipes means you’re going to have a lot more than just a cold house. Frozen pipes could lead to major plumbing issues, damages, and costly repairs. Chances are, you don’t want to take that risk, especially with winter conditions looming in on us. Fortunately, it doesn’t demand much effort on your part! As your trusted plumber Milpitas, we at Bueno Plumbing keep five tips in mind to prevent your pipes from freezing in winter.
- Insulate Pipes
In order to avoid frozen pipes, you need to invest in specialized pipe insulation. When compared to the cost of repairing a ruptured water pipe, pipe insulation is a low-risk investment. Make sure that your water pipes are properly insulated in unheated interior areas of your home, such as the attic, garage, or basement. Fiberglass, polyethylene, and foam are the most prevalent materials for pipe insulation. A temporary insulation method involving duct tape and wadded-up newspaper might be used in the event of impending cold weather in your region.
- Close Garage Door
Concrete floors and sparse insulation make garages some of the coldest rooms in the house. When it’s cold outdoors, it’s a good idea to keep the garage door closed. Because water supply lines often run through garages, this advice is especially important. You’ll save money on your energy costs by keeping your garage door closed and preserving the heat inside your house. In order to keep your garage warmer in the winter, you could also add some extra insulation to it. Pipes are less likely to freeze when they’re heated, which improves the overall quality of life in the garage.
- Allow Faucets Drip
Leaving a faucet open is one strategy to prevent your pipes from freezing. Your home doesn’t have to be filled to the brim with running water. Determine which ones have exposed pipes first. After narrowing it down to a few faucets, keep them on during cold weather. Even a modest trickle of moving water has more energy than a pool of still water. Moving water generates heat and is more difficult to freeze than still water because of the friction caused by the constant movement. You may avoid ice jams in your plumbing by simply leaving a few faucets running. This will reduce pressure in cold pipes in addition to the tiny amount of friction and heat it generates. Even if the water inside your pipes freezes, this will help keep them from exploding. To prevent one water line from becoming over-pressurized while the other remains under-pressurized, keep both running gently.
- Maintain a Consistent Thermostat
Having your thermostat is set at the same temperature during both day and night can help avoid ice buildup in your pipes. It is an excellent strategy to avoid ice buildup. Lowering your thermostat at night to save money on your heating bill is a common practice, but it’s one that could backfire because a broken pipe is considerably more expensive than a minor increase in your heating expense. So, you should aim to keep your thermostat settings as consistent as possible throughout the day and night. Avoid rapid temperature swings in your home, which can cause ice to build up in your pipes.
- Seek Professional Help
Plumbers should be called in to inspect your pipes when you’re preparing your home for winter. You may be tempted to watch a YouTube video and attempt to winterize your house on your own now that we live in a DIY society. It’s best to hire an expert if you want to save money. You’re more likely than not to make mistakes that a professional wouldn’t, and fixing those mistakes might be costly. Inquire with the best plumber Milpitas has to offer about inspecting your home’s plumbing and adding insulation where necessary. In order to prevent pipe freezing, a plumber can also provide you with advice on how warm your home should be.
Even if you take steps to ensure that your pipes are ready for the winter, a particularly cold snap might still cause them to freeze and rupture. Despite your best efforts, a burst water system is more often than not the cause of extensive and costly damage. After more than a decade in the plumbing industry, our team at Bueno Plumbing has developed a reputation as one of the most skilled and dependable plumbers in the area. Our primary focus is providing the most effective and innovative solutions to our client’s challenges. We definitely enjoy what we do, and it shows in our results.
