Say goodbye to the winter plumbing blues
Winter brings one problem to nearly every homeowner and their frozen pipes. If your pipes freeze and burst you're going to have a nightmare. Recent data shows that insurance companies paid out over $806 million nationwide last year on frozen pipe claims.
Here's the part that's not fun to think about…
The average claim was $25,000 per incident. Yikes. Can you afford that hit to your wallet?
The good news is… winterizing your plumbing isn't complicated. A little know-how and preparation goes a long way toward protecting your pipes and saving you thousands in water damage repair.
This article will show you exactly how to make your plumbing winter-ready.
Here's a look at what you'll discover:
Why you have no choice but to winterize your plumbing
The 7x most important winterization tips for your plumbing
Professional vs DIY: what's better?
Frozen pipe action plan: emergency measures
Why You Have No Choice But To Winterize Your Plumbing
Did you know this?
Approximately 2,650 properties have burst pipes every year. The largest number of these burst pipes occur in the depths of January and February. Those are the cold winter months. The water inside your pipes freezes and expands. This creates pressure so powerful that it can rip your pipes apart from the inside out.
As you can probably imagine the result is several thousands of gallons of water flowing through the seams of your house.
Ok. Let's paint you a picture. If you don't winterize your plumbing, you are essentially gambling with your largest asset. That's not something you should do right?
Truthfully, most homeowners don't know how vulnerable their pipes are until it's too late. Water is frozen, pipes burst, there is flooding, and the worst is inevitable. If you're unsure about your plumbing system's winter readiness, an affordable plumber in Adelaide can perform a professional assessment.
But when you do winterize, you are building layers of protection and making frozen pipes nearly impossible.
The 7x Most Important Winterization Tips For Your Plumbing
Ok, here's the awesome part of winterizing your plumbing. It's not hard. Most of the steps are either free or cost next to nothing and can be done in a couple of hours at most.
Here's how to bulletproof your plumbing…
Insulate Exposed Pipes
This is your first line of defense.
Any pipes that are located in unheated areas of your home should be insulated. Think basements, crawlspaces, and attics. Wrap vulnerable areas of these pipes with foam pipe sleeves or heat tape.
Focus on the pipes that are running along exterior walls since they are most susceptible to freeze since they're the closest to the cold air.
Disconnect And Drain Outdoor Hoses
Did you know this?
Leaving hoses connected to exterior faucets is a direct invitation for cold air to find its way to your indoor plumbing. The trapped water inside the hose and the faucet will freeze and eventually damage the entire connection.
Don't forget to completely remove and drain outdoor faucets. If your house has shut-off valves for outdoor water supplies, turn those off and open the faucets so the water can drain out.
Seal Air Leaks
Cold air is the enemy of your pipes.
Look for any gaps or cracks that may be next to your plumbing. Use caulk or weatherstripping to seal these off. Even the tiniest of gaps can let in enough cold air to freeze your pipes.
Don't neglect places where pipes run through exterior walls of your house. This is where your home meets the pipes and is often the first places that freeze damage begins.
Keep Cabinet Doors Open
I know this might sound kind of weird but trust me it works.
Keeping cabinet doors open under sinks allows warm air from the rest of your home to circulate and keep the plumbing in those cabinets from freezing. It's especially helpful for sinks that are next to exterior walls and more exposed to cold air.
Maintain Consistent Heat
Don't turn off your heat.
Set your thermostat to 55°F at the minimum when you leave the house and are gone. This way your house will still have enough heat to keep the pipes from freezing but will save you money on energy.
If you're going to be away for an extended period, it's also a good idea to have someone check on your house once a day to make sure the heat is working properly.
Let Faucets Drip
During very cold weather, let your faucets drip slightly.
Moving water is much harder to freeze than standing water. A small trickle of water will make all the difference between keeping those pipes from bursting.
Focus this effort on faucets that are connected to pipes that run through unheated spaces and along exterior walls.
Know Your Water Shut-Off Location
Here's the one thing that can save you thousands of dollars in damages.
Every person in the house needs to know where the main water shut-off valve is and how to operate it. In most houses, the shut-off valve is located near the water line entry point of the house.
If a pipe does burst, you want to shut off the water as quickly as possible to minimize the flooding and damage.
Professional vs DIY: What's Better?
Most winterization tasks are easily DIY. But there are some cases where hiring a professional makes more sense.
Do these yourself:
Installing pipe insulation
Disconnecting hoses
Sealing air leaks
Regulating thermostat temperature
Call a professional for:
Installing shut-off valves
Heavy-duty insulation
Heating system maintenance
Complex plumbing adjustments
If your house has older plumbing and you've had problems before, it can be helpful to hire a professional to do an inspection. Sometimes a professional will find vulnerabilities you might not see as a homeowner.
Getting professional inspection can easily pay for itself by avoiding future emergency repairs.
Frozen Pipe Action Plan: Emergency Measures
No matter how much prep work you do, sometimes pipes still freeze in severe weather. Here's what to do if that happens.
If you think your pipes may have frozen:
Turn on faucets to relieve built-up pressure
Apply gentle heat with a hair dryer or heating pad
Don't use open flames or high heat
Start at the faucet and work toward the frozen section
If your pipes have burst:
Shut off the water at the main valve
Turn off electricity to the affected area if water is present
Document the damage with photos
Contact your insurance company
Call a plumber to make the necessary repairs
Remember, burst pipe repairs cost anywhere from $100-$200 per foot, and the average family will pay between $400-$1,500 to fix their pipes. Water damage restoration adds another $1,000-$2,000 to the costs.
It's better to be safe than sorry, so don't wait for it to happen.
It's Time To Prepare Your Plumbing For Winter
Preparing your plumbing for winter isn't just about preventing frozen pipes. It's about protecting your home and your bank account.
Each of these steps that I've gone over will ensure that you are prepared. They are the steps that every professional plumber will take when they winterize your plumbing. They've been tried and tested and have worked for hundreds of thousands of homeowners.
Here are some of the basic steps:
Insulate exposed pipes
Disconnect outdoor hoses
Seal air leaks
Set your thermostat to 55°F when you're gone
After that, you can take on the more intricate steps like letting faucets drip during extreme cold snaps and ensuring that every member of your household knows the location of the shut-off valve.
The time to prepare your plumbing is now before you need it. Don't wait for temperatures to dip before you start thinking about winterizing your plumbing.
Take the first steps now and enjoy peace of mind knowing that your plumbing will withstand the cold months. There is nothing better than that right?
Pretty neat how some simple preventative measures can save you thousands of dollars right?
