Frozen pipes are common during the winter, and they can be a serious problem for your Marietta, GA home. Fortunately, it’s a problem that is relatively easy to avoid. All it takes is to know why pipes in your home might freeze, which pipes are more likely to freeze than others, and how you can prevent them from freezing in the first place.
WHY FROZEN PIPES ARE A PROBLEM
The reason why frozen pipes are such a problem is because water expands when it freezes. When this happens inside a pipe, it can damage the pipe and cause it to leak or even burst. Not only does this mean that the pipe will have to be repaired, but you now have water leaking or flooding everywhere. This can cause severe water damage, mold growth, and other problems that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to repair. Of course, you’re also wasting a lot of water, so you’ll likely have a larger-than-usual utility bill to worry about as well.
PIPES THAT ARE MOST IN DANGER OF FREEZING
The pipes that are the most likely to freeze are those in unheated interior spaces such as basements, garages, and crawlspaces. The pipes in these areas are often exposed, and there is usually little or no insulation in these spaces since people aren’t likely to spend a lot of time in them. However, pipes running through cabinets and exterior walls are also vulnerable to freezing, so you’ll need to take preventive steps to protect them when it gets cold outside.
HOW TO PREVENT FROZEN PIPES
While you can’t control the weather outside, there are plenty of things that you can do to keep your pipes from freezing in the winter. They do require your due diligence just like anything else in your home, but they aren’t as complicated as you might think. Let’s look at some of them now.
INSULATE EXPOSED PIPES
If you have exposed pipes in your basement, garage, or some other unheated and uninsulated part of your house, you can keep them from freezing by wrapping them in pipe insulation. You can buy pipe insulation from most hardware or department stores, so pick some up and apply them to your pipes. If you don’t have any insulation or can’t make it to a store to buy any, you can also use some old towels or blankets instead. Just wrap them around your pipes and apply some duct tape to hold them in place.
PUT YOUR SPACE HEATERS TO GOOD USE
If you’re concerned about exposed pipes freezing and you don’t want to sacrifice any of your blankets or towels, you can always set up some space heaters near your exposed pipes. This does use some electricity to heat a part of your house that largely goes unused, so you might want to save this solution for when it gets really cold outside.
REDO YOUR INSULATION
Your home’s insulation helps maintain its temperature. It traps warm air inside during the winter and keeps it out during the summer. This is important if you want to keep your pipes from freezing in cold weather. Insulation in a home can last for decades if it is installed properly, but it may need to be redone if you’re in an older home or you notice signs such as cold drafts or rising heating bills. If you suspect that your home needs better insulation, have it installed sooner rather than later, preferably before it gets too cold outside. Pay especially close attention to your windows and doors. If you feel drafts coming from them even when they’re closed, you may have to apply caulk or weather stripping to keep the cold air out.
As for your garage or your basement, you can always have them insulated as well if you’re concerned about the plumbing in those areas freezing. It probably shouldn’t be the only precaution you take against frozen pipes, but it will make a difference.
DON’T SHUT OFF YOUR HEAT COMPLETELY
If you’re going to be away from home this winter, it might be tempting to shut off your heat to save some money. That is a bad idea if you want to keep your pipes from freezing. Instead, set your thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit before you leave. You’ll still have a heating bill to pay, but it won’t be nearly as expensive as repairing a burst pipe would be.
WINTERIZE YOUR OUTDOOR FAUCETS
Since you probably won’t be using your outdoor faucets this winter, take some time to winterize them before it gets too cold. Find the main shutoff valve for the faucets, shut them off, and open the faucets themselves to allow any remaining water to drain from them. While you’re at it, disconnect any hoses and sprinklers that you might have been using and store them safely in your garage or shed.
OPEN YOUR CABINETS
You can prevent the pipes running through your kitchen and bathroom cabinets from freezing by opening the cabinets. This exposes the pipes to the warm air circulating through your home. Just be sure that you move any cleaning products if you have pets or small children in your home.
TURN ON YOUR FAUCETS
Another great way to prevent your pipes from freezing is to turn on all of your faucets to a trickle when it gets cold outside. This keeps water flowing through your pipes, which makes them less likely to freeze. You may have to contend with a higher water bill, but it will still be less expensive than the hundreds of dollars it might cost to repair a burst pipe.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A PIPE FREEZES
Despite all your efforts, you might still have to contend with frozen pipes this winter. If any of your pipes do freeze or burst, immediately shut off the water for your home to prevent any flooding or further water damage. Remove anything in the vicinity that can be safely removed. If there are any electric appliances or electronics in the area, shut off the power to that part of the house before you go near them.
Once the water in your home has been shut off and you’ve done what you can to avoid too much water damage, contact Garrett Mechanical to fix the problem. Garrett Mechanical specializes in plumbing services as well as electrical, heating, and cooling services. Our team of plumbers can help repair or replace any pipes that may have been damaged by freezing water. We even offer emergency plumbing services since these kinds of things never happen on a convenient schedule.
In other words, if you have a frozen or burst pipe, don’t panic, or try to fix the problem yourself. Shut off your water and contact Garrett Mechanical in Marietta, GA. We will make sure that your plumbing and your home are safe during the winter.
