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5 Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes

There is something extra special about glistening ice on a frigid winter morning! The crystal icicles hanging from the trees, bushes, stair rails and gutters cast sparkles everywhere in the bright sunshine. It is a beautiful sight that makes us stop and take pause. Lovely – because you have prepared. Not a worry in the world – not a thought of anything like frozen pipes.

However, your vision of loveliness is shattered when you see some of those same beautiful icicles hanging off your outdoor spigot and you haven’t winterized. And, if those icicles are bedded in a big lump of ice, you know it’s time to call Pipe Dream, because you probably have a big problem.

Once you discover frozen pipes, you have to work fast to get them thawed, otherwise the damage can extend far beyond a pipe repair. The longer a pipe I frozen, the more of the pipe that could rupture and when the thawing begins, all that water will flow along the lines into walls, floors and ceilings. That means that the rupture could be a distance from where you begin to see the leak.

5 tips to prevent frozen pipes

There are several steps homeowners can take to winterize their homes. It is best to tackle the project before the first hard freeze.

  1. Disconnect hoses from outdoor spigots, drain them and store them out of the weather. They will also split and rupture if left filled with water and in the cold.
  2. Close the interior shut-off valve for each outdoor spigot and drain the water that remains in the lines. Take the time to insulate the spigot.
  3. Make sure any pipe in an unheated area of the home such as a crawlspace, attic or garage is wrapped and insulated. Thermostatically-control heat tape guards against even the coldest temperatures and is energy efficient as it is activated once a certain temperature is reached.
  4. Be cautious of pipes run through outside walls. Make sure that the toilet, shower, or sink is used regularly to prevent the pipe from freezing. It is much more difficult for running water to freeze than water standing in lines.
  5. If you have pipes that are susceptible to freezing, insulating them is suggested, even if it means opening the walls to do so.

It may seem like a lot of trouble to prepare the pipes in your home for winter, but it definitely a lot less trouble than finding a puddle, a stain or hearing a drip inside the walls.

But if you do wake up to find a suspicious stain, puddle or hear an ominous drip-drip-drip, Pipe Dream Plumbing is here, ready to help. While we know that emergency repairs don’t elicit the oohs and ahs that getting a new garbage disposal or dishwasher generate, we also know there is a huge sigh of relief when the problem is resolved. And we know our clients appreciate the professional and fast help, because they tell us!

Plumbing doesn’t have to be a nightmare for you and your family. You have Pipe Dream Plumbing ready to turn the problems into vague memories!