With winter coming soon, the cold weather and dropping temperatures will likely start hitting your area soon. So, now is the time to prepare your home’s plumbing systems for the colder months ahead.
Taking proactive steps before the freezing temps arrive can help prevent expensive plumbing issues and headaches. Here are a few tips for getting your plumbing prepared for winter.
Insulate Exposed Pipes
One of the most important things you can do is properly insulate any pipes in your home that are exposed to cold air. Check around your home’s exterior and in unheated interior areas like crawl spaces, attics, basements, and garages for pipes that are not enclosed in walls.
Use fiberglass insulation, foam pipe wrap, or even rags to wrap pipes. The goal is to prevent freezing by protecting them from contact with cold air. Pay extra attention to pipes near exterior walls.
Disconnect and Drain Hoses
Unless you plan to use an outdoor faucet over the winter, disconnect any garden hoses from outdoor spigots before the first hard freeze. Make sure to disconnect the hose from both the spigot and the other end of the hose.
This prevents pipes from bursting if water remains trapped in the hose. While you’re at it, open the spigot slightly to drain any residual water left in the pipe.
Tips for Outdoor Spigots
Speaking of outdoor spigots, known as hose bibs, you can do a few things to winterize them, too. Consider using insulated covers that screw onto the spigot itself. You can find these winterization kits at your local hardware store.
Another option is to close the interior shut-off valve for each fixture and then open the spigot to drain any remaining water from the line. Just remember to shut the spigot back before a deep freeze sets in!
Know Where Your Main Water Shut-Off is Located
In case of a burst pipe emergency over the winter, it’s crucial to know immediately how to shut off the water supply to your entire home. Locate your main water shut-off valve, typically where the primary water line enters your house.
Make sure you and any housemates know how to access and operate this critical shut-off in a pinch. It might be a good idea to label it clearly for future reference.
Protect Pipes in Unheated Spaces
While some areas like crawl spaces get priority pipe-insulating, don’t forget pipes in seldom-used interiors like basements, attics or other unheated outbuildings, too.
Cold drafts can still penetrate these secondary spaces. Wrap exposed pipes and check for cracks or gaps around windows, vents or sills where cold air may sneak in. A little extra protection here could save you from bigger problems later on.
Consider Blowing Lines Out With Compressed Air
If you know the water will remain in areas of the plumbing that may freeze over winter, consider hiring a plumber to blow lines out with compressed air. This forces any residual water from pipes, reducing the risk of freezing and causing damage.
Common areas for this are shut-off outdoor spigots or stretches of pipe running along exterior walls. The compressed air ensures absolute dryness inside the pipe itself.
Keep Things Flowing
Once temperatures drop below freezing at night, it’s a good idea to let warm water trickle from seldom-used faucets overnight. This continuous trickle helps prevent pipes directly under the sink or nearby from freezing solid.
Consider focusing on bathroom sinks, the kitchen sink if not used daily, and other isolated water lines. The slow movement inhibits ice formation.
Another option is using specially designed faucet insulators or foil tape to cover vulnerable knobs and fixtures.
Conclusion
With a little preparation now, your plumbing should stay running smoothly all winter long. Take some basic steps mentioned in this blog. Stay one step ahead of Winter’s – your pocketbook will thank you later!