How To Prevent Frozen Pipes in Winter

5 min read

Winter is upon us, and the festive season is here to welcome the new year. However, the season brings with it incredibly low temperatures that can affect your home or commercial building in various ways. That’s why, as early as the fall season, you should have prepared your property from the potential elements that can lead to troublesome, costly, and disruptive damage.

One common issue many property owners experience is the risk of frozen pipes. Fortunately, with proper preparation and some handy tips, you can safeguard your plumbing system, ensuring a smooth and stress-free season. Here’s how to prevent frozen pipes in the winter, what you should know about it, and frozen pipe repair, just in case.

Why Do Frozen Pipes in Winter Occur?

Your home or commercial building’s plumbing system can freeze due to cold temperatures. When the temperature reaches a certain low level, the water in your pipes can freeze too. Water expands as it freezes into ice, and as a result, the expansion causes additional pressure on the lines. Over time, the extra pressure can cause your pipes to crack or burst.

Depending on your property’s structure, some pipes are more susceptible to freezing than other sections. Most cases of frozen pipes in winter weather occur in exposed outdoor areas, basements, attics, garages, and pipes inside the outer walls of your property. Additionally, pipes with insufficient insulation or exposed to cold air are more vulnerable to freezing.

If your property develops frozen pipes, it can lead to several issues. Frozen sections can block water flow and cause a lack of running water. It can also cause pipes to burst, flooding, water damage, and mold growth.

Preparing Your Property Against Frozen Pipes

For properties in areas where snow and low winter temperatures are possible, it’s best to be safe and prepare against frozen pipes from developing. These are common practices to prepare your property before the colder months arrive.

• Pipe Insulation: Ensure your pipes are adequately insulated. Consider pipe insulation sleeves for exposed pipes in unheated areas such as the basement, attic, and garage.
• Outdoor Plumbing Preparation: Drain your outdoor water line. Close the valve that supplies water to your outdoor pipes, and then keep your outdoor valve open so that any remaining water can expand without adding pressure to your pipes.

• Garden Hoses and Sprinklers: Detach your hose, drain it, and store it in your garage. For sprinkler systems, turn off the water flow and drain the pipe system. If possible, drain and store away detachable above-ground components. Otherwise, insulate any exposed pipes and other plumbing fixtures.

• Property Insulation Maintenance: Have a professional inspector take a look at your property’s insulation. Adequate wall insulation can protect the pipes in your walls, especially those in the exterior walls.

• Address Damage to Exterior Walls: Have a professional take a look at your walls, windows, and other cracks where cold air can enter your walls. Have them caulked or sealed close.

How To Prevent Frozen Pipes in Winter

Once winter arrives and temperatures are much lower, your preparations may not be enough to prevent frozen pipes completely. This can depend on several factors that affect your area’s temperature. These are some practices you can do during the winter to avoid frozen pipes:

• Keep Garage Doors Closed: If you have exposed pipes in the garage, keep the doors closed and only open when necessary.

• Keep Cabinets and Bathroom Doors Open: This allows warm indoor air to circulate in areas with no installed heating systems.

• Let Your Faucet Drip: Although freezing temperatures can still cause slow-moving water to freeze, letting your faucet trickle during moderately cold days can prevent pipes from freezing.

• Maintain Your Indoor Temperature: Avoid turning off the thermostat or setting it to a lower temperature even when no one is present in your home or commercial building. This could lead to a higher heating bill during winter, but it might be worth it if you can prevent frozen pipes in winter weather.

What To Do If You Experience Frozen Pipes

In the case you experience little to no running water in the middle of winter, you might have a frozen pipe on your property. Here are some possible solutions:

• Keep Your Faucet Open: Running water will eventually melt the ice in the frozen area.

• Apply Heat to Exposed Pipes: If you can find where the frozen section is, use a heating pad, a hair dryer, a space heater, or towels soaked in hot water to thaw the exposed area. Avoid using open-flame devices, as these can damage your plumbing or potentially cause injuries.

• Contact a Professional: Call a local plumber to help you address your frozen pipes. Additionally, they can also recommend additional methods to prevent freezing.

Contact Restoration 1 of Henderson To Protect Your Property From Water Damage in the Winter

Knowing how to prevent frozen pipes in winter is essential for property owners who want to avoid costly repairs and inconvenient disruptions. By implementing the practical steps outlined here, you can reduce the risks of dealing with frozen and burst pipes. However, in some cases, even well-prepared properties are susceptible to water damage, flooding, and mold. Prevent these from developing on your property with the help of Restoration 1.

Restoration 1 of Henderson handles all types of property damage, including water damage to Henderson homes and businesses. Get in touch with us today to schedule an inspection from our certified technicians.