Frozen pipes can create a problem by preventing water flow. Moreover, they can eventually burst, which will cause potential flooding and damage to your property and belongings. There are some actions you can take in order to prevent the pipes from freezing.

Seal Cracks

Any holes or cracks that exist near pipes should be sealed, on both exterior and interior walls. Making sure the cracks and holes are sealed will keep the warm air inside and cold air outside.

Keep the Doors Open

Often, pipes are located in cabinets throughout the property. If you keep the cabinet doors open when the temperatures drop, the heat from the rest of the house will reach the pipes and keep them warm. Moreover, keeping interior doors open will help the heat to flow evenly throughout the house.

Eliminate Drafts

Check the unheated areas in your home where water supply lines are located. These include attics, garages, basements, and under the cabinets in the bathroom and kitchen. Do your best to prevent the flow of cold air in these unheated areas.

Turn on the Heat

Keep the heat on even when you are leaving home. It might be difficult to do so, especially if you pay your own utilities, but it can prevent the pipes in your home from freezing. Burst pipes can do significantly more damage to your home and your belongings than keeping the heat on in the house. It can be kept lower than what you normally have when in the house, but anything above 50F will be a good idea.  

Leave the Faucet to Drip

Frozen pipes burst because of the pressure created between the faucet and the blockage. Allowing the faucet to drip slightly will help you to avoid the pipes freezing, because it will relieve the pressure in the water system.

Insulate

Extra insulation around the pipes might be necessary in the areas without proper insulation, such as attics or basements. To lower the chances of the pipes freezing, you can fit them with fiberglass or foam rubber sleeves. In the areas which you have to open to access the pipes, like floors, ceilings or walls, you can insulate the areas themselves in order to keep the pipes warm.

Apply Heating Tape

Electrical heating tape can be a good option to keep the accessible pipes from freezing. You can apply the heating tape to the pipe directly. There are heating tapes that would turn on and off by themselves sensing when the heat is necessary, and there are also the tapes that need to be plugged in when heating is required.

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.

Menu