How to Prevent Your Plumbing Pipes From Freezing
Winters in Litchfield, Illinois, can be brutal and when the temperature drops, your pipes can freeze and cause them to burst. Preventing frozen pipes is imperative to avoid the cost, time, and headache of repairing or replacing broken pipes.
Cold temperatures are the main culprit in causing pipes to freeze and the freezing process creates pressure inside the pipe, causing it to break. This leads to severe flooding which is damaging to anything in its path.
The best way to avoid having to deal with pipes that freeze is to keep them warm, at least warm enough to stay above freezing. Here are a few ways you can prevent frozen and bursting pipes throughout the winter months:
Leave the Heat On
Whether you are going on vacation or your business is closed for the weekend, leave the heat on. As tempting as it may be to save a little money on heating costs, it will be far more expensive to replace broken or damaged pipes not to mention the flood damage to other items that can occur. If you are a landlord, you should inform your tenants to leave the heat on when they go away from home. If they are responsible for the heating costs of the house or apartment, remind them of the damage water can due to their personal property and possessions.
Drip your Faucet
Much like the heat issue, people tend to rebuff leaving their facet dripping but that is exactly what you need to do to prevent pipes from freezing during cold weather. If you simply open the facet a little bit, the pipe that feeds into it will be relieved from pressure in the system.
Open Door Policy
Normally pipes are installed inside of the cupboards and cabinets. When the temperature drops, you should open the doors of these areas so that the heat from the rest of your house or building can keep the pipes warm and prevent freezing.
Plumbing Maintenance
It is important to contact your local plumber periodically to seal any gaps around the holes in the locations where your pipes come into your home or business to your sink areas. Have your plumber seal holds on both the interior and exterior of the wall or floor to help keep pipes warm
Between the little things you can do to prevent freezing pipes and plumbing maintenance by a professional plumber, you should be free of the hassle and cost of replacing frozen and broken pipes when the temperatures begin to drop.