Prevent Frozen Pipes this Winter

Since it’s already winter, you probably think that there isn’t much you can do to prevent your pipes from freezing. Although there are a lot of preventative steps you can take before it starts getting cold, there are still some precautions you can take halfway through winter.

Residual water that sits in your home’s pipes expands when it freezes creating enough pressure to burst the pipe. Pipes located in cold areas of your home – garages, basements, attics, crawl spaces, and along exterior walls – are the most likely to experience these problems.

Cold Weather Preparation

• Don’t let your thermostat get below 55 degrees
• Insulate your pipes and surrounding areas

Be sure to be thinking of your plumbing system before it gets too cold out. Some things to keep in mind as you prep your home for winter are to make sure that your thermostat is set to at least 55 degrees at all times, especially if you are leaving for a vacation or moving south for the winter. If you know that there is the possibility of your pipes freezing, insulate the cold areas of your home. Even something as little as foam pipe insulators can make a big difference.

During Cold Weather

• Keep garage doors closed
• Open cabinet doors and the basement door
• Let the cold water faucet drip

If it’s already freezing cold in your area, remember to keep garage doors closed as much as possible if you have water pipes running through that area. This is especially important if you have a sink in your garage. A lot of times the kitchen sink is located on an exterior wall of your home which may be poorly insulated. If that is the case, periodically keep your cabinet doors open to allow warmer air to circulate and warm up the pipes. The same concept goes for crawl spaces and basements. Open doors leading to these areas to prevent pipes from freezing. Finally, if it gets to be really cold, consider leaving the cold water faucet drip. Just by having a drip flowing through the pipes prevents them from freezing.

Already Frozen?

• keep the faucet on
• heat the frozen pipe with non-flammable devices (hair dryer, electric heating pad, hot towels, space heater)
• check other faucets and pipes

Sometimes it’s too late and your pipes have already frozen. In the winter if you turn on your faucet and hardly any water is coming out the most likely cause is the pipes being frozen. For a quick fix keep the faucet on while going to find the frozen pipe. Heat the pipe using a hair dryer, electric heating pad, hot towels, or a space heater. Use heat sources that aren’t open flames. Once the water pressure is back to normal, you should be okay. Check the other faucets in your home to make sure that none of the other pipes are frozen. If you suspect further damage that will need a professional’s attention contact ARC Contracting and they can get someone to your home 24/7.

Water Restoration by ARC

Damage caused by water needs to be removed immediately to begin the restoration process and reduce the likelihood of additional damage. That’s why ARC offers 24 hour emergency water extraction, dehumidification, wet flooring or sheet rock removal. As with all of our services, when you have damage caused by water, prompt restoration is the goal.