Preventing Frozen Pipes in the Winter 2021
I
n Wisconsin, winters can be fairly pleasurable; snow days provide the ideal setting for a range of entertaining outdoor activities. Extreme cold weather, on the other hand, may cause issues; many houses must deal with keeping frozen pipes from restricting the water supply, but it can also cause pipes to break, and will then be in need of Pipe Repair Appleton WI. It’s a good idea to understand how to protect your pipes from ice up when temps dip into the negatives to save additional costs and hassles, as well as to prevent your pipes from busting. The following are some of the most important recommendations from your Plumber Appleton Wisconsin:
Install insulation in attics and crawl spaces where pipes run through.
Pipe insulation can be purchased from local hardware stores or home centers. Don’t be quick to buy just any type of insulation, however; get professional advice from plumbing maintenance Appleton WI on how thick the material should be to effectively prevent your pipes from freezing up when the weather turns unexpectedly cold.
Heating cables and tapes would be good alternatives to insulation foam.
Fox Valley plumbers say that the best choice is a heating cable with a built-in thermostat and UL label. This cable will automatically turn the heat on when it’s needed; that means you don’t have to worry if you’re out of town or fast asleep when temperatures suddenly drop.
Open Doors
On days when it’s unusually cold and there’s a real risk of pipes freezing, opening the doors to the cabinets under the kitchen and bathroom sinks will help. Sacramento Plumbing Contractors at Gilmore Heating and Air, states the conditioned air provided by your home’s HVAC system will allow warm air to circulate around the pipes. That warm air will help neutralize the cold a bit so you don’t have to worry about your pipes freezing. Drain the exterior pipes — especially if you’ll be going away for a few days.
Place some insulation sleeves around your exterior pipes.
Allow faucets to drip slowly to keep water flowing through the pipes. Movement will prevent the water from turning into ice. Just keep the faucet open — this way, you’ll be able to monitor if water has frozen inside and you need to introduce heat to the pipes to melt it (a hair dryer with a high heat setting will do the trick). Also, keeping the faucet open will ease the pressure inside the pipe that can cause it to burst.
Contact Tureks Plumbing Today For Frozen Pipe Repair
Apply these tips to your home and you can be sure that the harsh cold of winter will translate to savoring hot cocoa by the fireplace, sledding down the hills, and building snowmen instead of arranging for costly repairs due to frozen or burst pipes.
Be sure to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March, 2016 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.