How to Prevent Your Pipes from Bursting
Posted on August 8, 2018
Summer is quickly coming to an end. As summer heat fades away, cooler months start to roll in. While cooler months and winter might be the last thing on your mind, it is time to start preparing. You may start by switching out your clothes for warmer ones or checking your furnace to make sure it is ready for the winter months. One thing you may not think about is checking to make sure your pipes are not going to burst during the winter months. Pipes bursting is very common, especially during the winter. However, there are ways of preventing burst pipes and water damage.
Insulate Pipes
Exposed pipes are more likely to burst. Insulating your pipes is an easy and cost-effective way to prevent your pipes from bursting. The first step to insulating your pipes is to visit a local hardware store. There, you should find foam insulation at a reasonable price. After purchasing the foam insulation, wrap it around your pipes. You can also wrap your pipes with heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables. This will ensure your pipes stay warm and you don’t have to deal with your pipes bursting.
Let Your Faucet Drip
In most cases, a dripping faucet means a call to the plumber. However, during the winter and cooler months, you want to let some of your faucets drip just a little. Having a dripping faucet allows there to be a little bit of pressure in your pipes. This pressure keeps your pipes warm and keeps the pipes from bursting.
Seal Up Cracks and Leaks
In order to keep your pipes from bursting, you should look to see if your house has any air leaks. If you find air leaks, you should use caulk to seal them off. Keeping the cold air out allows for all your pipes, especially ones by windows and doors, to stay warm. If your pipes are not warm, they will freeze more easily, leading to burst pipes.
Open Doors
Keeping interior doors open allows for better airflow. This better airflow lets warm air reach all parts of your home. The warm air that is circulating in your house can wrap around the pipes and keep them from bursting. If there is no warm air getting to your pipes, then the pipes can freeze and burst more easily.
Keep the Garage Door Closed
Just as opening interior doors lets warm air flow, opening exterior doors during the winter months can cause cold airflow. Keeping exterior doors like your garage door closed keeps the cold air out. You do not want cold air to get into your garage because you may have exposed pipes in your garage. It is best to keep your garage door shut during the winter months in order to keep pipes from bursting.
Call All Brite Cleaning
Burst pipes can happen to anyone, even when you try to prevent them. If you are dealing with flooding and water damage from burst pipes, contact All Brite Cleaning. We ensure that water damage from burst pipes is taken care of correctly.