subject: Winter Can Stress Your Plumbing Situation Out - Take Measures To Prevent These Scenarios [print this page] The cold temperatures of winter bring with them the cold fun of snowmen and sledding, but they also bring the risk of frozen pipes. When it's cold outside, it is important to take defensive measures to keep your pipes from freezing. And, if they have frozen already, you want to get them unfroze quick before they burst and mess up your wintry fun!
Particularly if you have outside pipes, plumbing found in external walls, or pipes in unheated spaces, you have to be extremely careful. Several straightforward steps can help forestall frozen pipes. First, if you have exposed plumbing, just leave the tap dripping at a slight drip.
The moving water won't be able to freeze solid, negating the danger of burst pipes. The second basic precaution is simply to keep your pipes warm. This can be achieved in many different ways, from installing a portable heater near problem pipes or in unheated areas like crawlspaces to wrapping pipes in insulation.
Once you've put precautions in place, be sure to routinely inspect your plumbing. A frozen pipe is obvious if no water comes out of the faucet, but they can also be detected visually. Pipes with frost on the outside, those covered in ice, and ones that are bulging or appear to have small fissures are frozen. Once the plumbing begins to bulge, it is critical that the pipe be defrosted immediately, as bursting is imminent.
Things get trickier once a pipe is frozen. Frozen pipes must be thawed as soon as they are discovered. Waiting only increases the likelihood of a cracked pipe and the ensuing flood. Never use an open flame to thaw a pipe. While this technique has been used in the past, it is extremely dangerous. You are far more likely to start a house fire than defrost your pipes.
There are many safe DIY methodologies, including infrared heat lamps and specialised electrical heat tape that you wrap round the pipe. Nonetheless if you do not have these specialised tools available, your best bet is to contact a pipe unfreezing pro. They'll be in a position to efficiently and safely warm up your pipes.
It's best to avoid frozen pipes by taking preventative measure, but if you do finish up with iced up plumbing, it does not have to be a tragedy. Whether you select the DIY system or a plumber with pipe unfreezing experience, your pipes can be securely defrosted so that you can enjoy the remainder of the winter.
