For home or rental property owners, freezing pipes are a big concern during the cold winter months. The pipes most at risk are exposed pipes in unheated areas of the home, pipes located on exterior walls, and any plumbing on the exterior of the home. Here are our top fours tips for making sure your pipes won’t freeze this winter.
Tip #1 Preventing Issues from the Outside
Remember to drain, and remove garden hoses from exterior faucets. Frozen water in a garden hose can burst an interior pipe. Disconnect, drain and close the interior shut-off valve leading to that faucet, then drain the spigot, and install a faucet insulator.
Tip #2 Exposed Interior Plumbing
Pay special attention to the attic, crawl space, and garage. Exposed Pipes in non-heated areas of your home such as attic crawl space and garage are at risk of freezing. Get inexpensive foam pipe insulation or thermostatically heat tape from a local hardware store.
Tip #3 Identify Shut-Off Valves
Identify where your shut off valves are located throughout your home, so if a pipe bursts you are prepared to know right where to shut the water off.
Tip #4 Pesky Pipes on Exterior Walls
Do you have a pesky pipe in a kitchen or bathroom exterior wall? Open the cabinet doors to allow heat to get to the pesky pipe, and if there is a cold spell coming let warm water drip overnight from the faucet on the outside wall. That might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing.
