Posted on 11/12/2011
Proper planning is essential to avoiding a cold-weather repair nightmare. The following maintenance tips can help homeowners protect their homes from costly plumbing breakdowns.
Proper planning is essential to avoiding a cold-weather repair nightmare. The following maintenance tips can help homeowners protect their homes from costly plumbing breakdowns.
- Protect Your Pipes: Water’s unique molecular structure causes it to take up more space as a solid. The resulting pressure from this phase shift can compromise the stability of any pipe. Once pipes begin to freeze and split, homeowners are left with limited options. Electrical heating tape and foam insulation should be applied to exposed water and drain piping around the home to protect it from subzero temperatures. This is especially vital for pipes that run outside the protection of your home’s thermal envelope.
- Long-Term Precautions: Homeowners who leave for the winter must take extra steps to protect internal plumbing. The first step in this process is to completely shut down the main water supply to your home. Next, locate and identify drainage valves across the home. Flushing toilets and opening valves will create vacuum pressure that removes water from home plumbing. Eliminate water from pipes to prevent stationary freezing while your family is absent. Contacting a professional plumber provides the best guarantee that your pipes are properly winterized.
- Other Winterizing Tips: Small adjustments can boost efficiency of systems and appliances in any home. Before colder weather moves in, be sure to test your heater. Also remember to replace the air filter and check fuel levels. Insulation blankets can provide extra protection for families with a tank water heater. Don’t forget to remove water from sprinkler systems with compressed air. Failing to do so can result in permanent damaged sprinkler outlets.