Winter Is Coming! Prepare Your Pipes!

11/2/2017 (Permalink)

The only thing longer than waiting for Game of Thrones season 8 to come out is the mythical "winter" that they have been preparing for.  In the spirit of this much beloved show we want to help you prepare for the real winter that is upon us.

To help you secure your personal fortress from the harsh elements of winter, it's important to take care of your pipes.  Busted pipes cause stress and can run up a hefty bill to fix. Before winter is in full effect take preventative measures to help avert the risk of frozen pipes and other cold-weather threats. Without further discourse let's begin to PREPARE YOUR PIPES!

Priority Areas

The first step in protecting your pipes is to identify the most at risk areas and give those sections priority.  These areas include:

• Exposed pipes in unheated areas of the house.
• Pipes located in exterior walls.
• Any plumbing on the exterior of the home.

Precaution Measures for Outside (External Threats!)

A simple hose can be the cause of major pipe damages.  This is because if water inside the hose freezes it can cause pressure buildup inside the entire plumbing system.  Since As the pressure builds, older pipes can crack, which leads to leaking and busted pipes. This is why one of the simplest and first precautions to take is to disconnect your hose, drain any water inside of it, and store the hose before the first severe freeze of the season. 

If you don’t have frost-proof spigots, close the interior shut-off valve leading to that faucet, open and drain the spigot, and install a faucet insulator. They cost only a couple bucks and are worth every penny.

Uncovered Inside Plumbing (Inside Threats!)

When most people think of busted pipes inside a home they think of pipes in an basement.  This is a possibility but it isn't the most problematic area because the basement is a heated area of the house. Busted plumbing pipes are most common in unheated spaces in the house such as the garage, attic, or crawl spaces. 

Often, economical foam pipe insulation is enough for somewhat cold climates. For very cold climates, opt for wrapping problem pipes with thermostatically controlled heat tape (ranging from $50 to $200, contingent upon length), which will turn on at certain minimum temps.

Under-Insulated Walls (Fortify Your Walls!)

One way to tell if some of your walls are under-insulated is if you have needed water damage repair or mold cleanup inside your walls before.  This is often a case of inadequately installed insulation.  In cold climates it's worth considering opening up your walls to improve your insulation for a couple hundred of dollars instead of paying for more expensive water damage or mold removal later. 

Once you have assessed all potential threats to your pipes it's time for you to go inside and "man the fort".  So get nice and cozy inside your home, pour yourself some hot chocolate, and stay alert because winter is among us my friends!