Tips For Preventing Your Pipes From Freezing This Winter

You may not overthink about your plumbing when it's summertime. While you might not be thinking about how warm your water is, you should also be thinking about what could happen if the pipes in your home freeze this winter. Frozen or burst pipes can lead to severe damage that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to repair. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent freezing pipes in your home this winter.

Here are our top tips for preventing frozen pipes this winter:

- Insulate any exposed pipe or hose using foam insulation or heat tape.

- Check the temperature of your crawl space to make sure it stays above 5 degrees Celsius.

-Install a drain system on a sump pump to pump water away from the foundation.

- Turn on a cold water faucet at least twice a day for a few minutes each time to keep the pipes from freezing.

Tips for preventing frozen pipes

1. Insulate any exposed pipe or hose using foam insulation or heat tape.

2. Check the temperature of your crawl space to make sure it stays above 5 degrees Celcius.

3. Install a drain system on a sump pump to pump water away from the foundation.

4. Turn on a cold water faucet at least twice a day for a few minutes each time to keep the pipes from freezing.

How to check for the temperature of your crawl space

If you don't want to purchase a thermometer, there are other ways to check for the temperature in your crawl space. For example, you could drill two holes at either end of the crawl space and pull an extension cord between them. If one end is warmer than the other, you may have a cooling system or insulation problem. 

Drain system on a sump pump

One of the most effective ways to stop your pipes from freezing is by installing a sump pump drain system. This will ensure that the sump pump will pump any water away from the foundation.

If you don't have a sump pump, you can use a bucket or basin for this purpose. You can also create your own sump pump by drilling a hole in the ground near your foundation and connecting it to the pipe with a PVC pipe. Our plumbing experts can also install a sump pump for you to prevent frozen pipes. This is one of the easiest methods to prevent freezing pipes in your home this winter.

Turn on the cold water faucet twice a day.

One of the best ways to prevent frozen pipes is simply making sure water flows through them. Turning on the cold water faucet for a few minutes at least twice a day can help prevent your pipes from freezing, which could lead to burst pipes and more costly repairs.

It only takes a few minutes to turn on the cold water faucet, and you can even do it first thing in the morning before you start getting ready for work or school. Running the water will ensure that the pipes will be fully warmed up before being used later that day.

Turning on the cold water faucet twice a day is one of the most effective ways to prevent frozen pipes this winter. It's easy and inexpensive, but it can make all the difference!

Conclusion

The winter season can be a tough one for pipes. They are often exposed to freezing temperatures and the drastic changes of the seasons, which can cause them to burst and require emergency plumbing services. To help prevent frozen pipes, do the following:

- Check your crawl space for temperature. If the temperature is consistently below 15 degrees Celcius, it's time to invest in insulation.

- Be sure to turn on the cold water faucet twice a day. Turning the water on will keep water flowing through your pipes.

- Keep up with your drain system on your sump pump. If the pump is not draining or not turning on, this can also lead to problems with           frozen pipes.

- Ensure your home insurance policy has adequate coverage.

- Consider purchasing an extended warranty for any plumbing work you may need on your house before winter hits.

- Most notably, be proactive about your pipes before they freeze up!