How to Prepare Your Plumbing System for Winter

Have you prepared your plumbing for winter?  Damage caused from burst pipes can cost you thousands, of dollars. Fortunately there are steps you can take to prevent a catastrophe from happening.

Prepare for a ze

Make sure you know where your home’s shut-off valve is and how to turn it on and off. If you leave town or will be gone during a ze, consider turning your water off at the shut-off valve and draining your pipes. If you’re unsure how to drain your pipes, call us today and we will be happy to help.

Prevent zing by Insulating Pipes

When the air outside drops below zing, the water inside your pipes can ze and the pipes can burst. If you’re not home when a pipe bursts, the damage can be disastrous. You could come back to a massive home flood, which can mean costly damage to your flooring, rugs, and beloved furnishings. To reduce the chances of ze breaks, invest in some affordable insulation for your pipes. If you’re not a DIY-type person, again, we will be more than happy to handle that for you.

Disconnect Outdoor Hoses

Water inside a hose can ze and cause the pipes leading into your home to burst. Removing all hoses and turning off exterior faucets and sprinkler systems is recommended before the temperature drops below zing.

Keep the Temperature Up

Simply keeping your thermostat set to 55 degrees or higher, especially when out of town, will help prevent those pipes from getting too chilly. Additionally, leaving kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open will permit warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.

Check for Leaks

It’s important to inspect outdoor faucets, also known as spigots or hose bibs, for drips. If you find that your outdoor plumbing is leaking, call us today to make all the necessary repairs before temperatures get so cold that the faucet can ze and cause even more problems. For instance, when outdoor faucets experience a hard ze, that ze tends to affect the connecting water supply pipe. If that pipe is made of copper or plastic, it often splits open the pipe. As long as the pipe remains frozen, you won’t notice the problem, but after it thaws, the pipe can flood your home.

Shut Off Water & Drain Your Pipes

After you have checked for active leaks and before you start shutting down your outdoor plumbing, be sure to shut off the water leading out of your home so water doesn’t rest in your pipes. If you home is equipped with interior shutoff valves leading to the outside faucets, turn off the valve, then go outside and turn on the outside hose bibs until all remaining water in the line drains out. Water left in your pipes will ze, expand, and possibly burst your pipes. By draining your pipes completely, you avoid the high risk of frozen pipes and pricey solutions.

Open Cabinets & Run Water

If it’s very cold outside, or if some rooms of your house get colder than others, leaving the cabinet doors under sinks will allow warm air to circulate around the pipes. You can also let a trickle of water run through the faucets to prevent them from zing. This is helpful if you live in a mobile home, where cold air circulates below the floor.

Call Daniels Plumbing

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us today! We will be glad to come out and give you an estimate on Winterizing your home. Call us now at 281-351-6661