As we all know, with the cold weather and frigid temperatures come a whole lot of problems. Whether slippery roads when driving, increased utility bills, or frozen pipes, the list of problems can be endless. When dealing with pipes in the cold weather, if you are fortunate enough to only have a small amount of water freeze, then more than likely no damage will come to your home’s plumbing. However, if a plumbing pipe in your home should burst and especially a major plumbing pipe, then you may find yourself faced with a flooding issue in your home.
When water problems occur within your home this can big a huge nightmare to deal with any time of year and especially in the cold winter months when our tendency is to spend most of our time indoors rather than out in the cold, uncomfortable temperatures. For homeowners, it can be quite difficult and challenging to understand and identify which pipes in your home are at the greatest risk. With that said, it is important for you to first know the location of all the pipes before you can actually determine which ones are at the highest risk.
Often times there are plumbing pipes that are heated or properly insulated in one section of your home, while being entirely exposed to the various elements in yet a different part of your house. The part of the plumbing pipe that is exposed to the elements is an incredibly vulnerable space within your home and is at a high risk of freezing. You can, therefore, understand how important it is to know the whereabouts of all your plumbing pipes. If, however, you are not sure of their location, that’s where the professionals here at Steve Mull Plumbing come in. Our highly skilled and certified plumbers will come out to your home and perform a thorough inspection, identifying plumbing pipes, acquainting you with all their locations, and will also make you aware of any pipes that may pose a great deal of risk.
Once this inspection is completed, then it is necessary to protect all those pipes that are vulnerable. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this task, but it is mandatory that you ensure the level of protection corresponds with the risk level of the pipes needing protection. You may find that some pipes simply need to be wrapped in newspaper while others absolutely need the addition of foam tube insulation or even specially customized heated tape for added protection.
With autumn now upon us and again winter right around the corner, you should take necessary precautions now to avoid frozen pipes. Some simple precautions include leaving the doors beneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks open because the heat in your living space will keep them from freezing. You may also want to leave a tiny bit of water dripping which will protect you from much larger water issues in your home, like flooding. Though you may feel this tip is a waste of water, when you think about the positives and negatives of performing this simple task, we think you will agree that going with the dripping water far outweighs flooding in your home.
If you do find yourself faced with frozen pipes and want to try fixing the problem yourself, try warming up the pipe with a hair blow dryer. This could actually prevent the pipe from bursting. If a pipe does burst in your home, find the shut off valve quickly and turn it off then contact our professionals immediately. Our team is on hand to answer all your questions and address your every concern. We stand ready to provide you with all your plumbing needs, regardless of the season and are committed to delivering the very best in customer service each time, every time.
The colder weather is well on its way, so don’t delay. Take time out now to contact our team and schedule your inspection. We will identify the location of your shut off valve and all your pipes, help you understand their risk levels and provide you with any needed resolutions to any problems we may find. Don’t get caught with frozen pipes and put your home and family at risk. Rather, take time out to contact the friendly, professionals here at Steve Mull Plumbing today!!
