subject: How To Keep Home Water Systems Safe And Running [print this page] No homeowner ever wants to discover that a water pipe has burst since this can bring a significant of damage to the surrounding area. Calling a professional plumber for a fix can be very expensive but damages can be prevented. Here are a few things you can do to prevent frozen pipes:
When it is winter or on very cold nights, open the doors to any undersink cabinets that are located on outside walls like most kitchen sinks have. This can prevent the inside of the cabinet from becoming a freezer that can result to frozen water lines.
Put insulation to all water and heating lines situated in unheated crawl spaces, attics and basements. Some of the materials that you can use are foam tubes, fiberglass tubes and fiberglass wrap. If you notice that the same pipe freezes all the time, try considering to have that transferred to a warmer section of the house.
Seal drafts in crawlspaces and basements. In a matter of few hours, drafts can freeze uninsulated tubes. Finding and locating those drafts can prevent them from being frozen. Try using expanding foam sealants to seal odd-shaped spaces.
If you have thermostat control at home, keep your heating zones above 55 degrees during winter to prevent frozen lines. Shutting off or lowering unused heating zones often lead to water and heating lines to freeze in walls and ceilings of the unused areas. On very cold nights, run some hot water down the drains that may be located on the outside walls of your home. Drain and vent lines can also freeze.
If you are planning for a trip during the winter, be careful on how much you lower the heat. Although lower temperature can save you on the heating bill, there could be a disaster if a cold spell strikes. Pipes that are normally safe can free and burst under this condition. A solution to this is to drain the water system. This is the best that you can do for precautionary measures because when there is no running water, there would be no freezing.
In worst case scenarios of pipes burst due to freezing, the best thing that homeowners could do is to shut off the main water supply to minimize further damage. Calling a professional plumber as soon as possible is also advisable. An ounce of prevention is better than any cure especially for leaks. Homeowners, property owners, landlord and other property management companies can prevent future leaks and water intrusion by regularly inspecting elements around the water system. Having regular checkups will really help to make sure they remain under good conditions at all times.
