How to Keep Your Pipes from Freezing

Cozy blankets, hot chocolate, and snowboarding are just a few delightful aspects of winter. However, the season also comes with a few downsides. Peeling paint, boiler breakdowns, mold growth, and, worst of all - frozen pipes.

The ice has the potential to burst the pipe, says LiveScience. Therefore, immediate action must be taken on your behalf to prevent the issue and keep pipes from bursting regardless of the temperature. Here’s a handy guide to help you mitigate the problem before it arises and resolve it if the worst happens.

Why Are Frozen Pipes a Problem?

Basic Science tells us that water expands upon freezing. This puts pressure on whatever is holding it, including your home's plastic, copper, and metal pipes.

Regardless of the robustness of the container, it is susceptible to damage. Pipes that often freeze during winter include the following:

• Pipes installed on the exterior walls of the building with little to no insulation.
• Those exposed to severe cold weather. This may include water sprinkler pipes, swimming pool pipes, and outdoor hose lines.
• Water supply lines in the attic, garage, crawl spaces, and basement.

Tips to Keep the Pipes from Freezing

Reports show that in York, PA, the weather drops dramatically during winter, often dropping below freezing. This means you may encounter frozen pipes due to extremely cold weather. Here are a few tips to prevent that from happening and keep your pipes from freezing.

Open Cabinets and Doors

When the cold snaps, you must let warm air circulate in your building. This would require you to open the bathroom and kitchen cabinets and doors. Doing so, you’ll distribute the heat evenly around your home. As a result, the air will circulate beneath the cabinets, warming the water pipes. Open any cabinet or storage doors containing pipes, especially if they’re situated along the exterior wall of your property. These pipes are more likely to freeze during winter.

Keep a Faucet Running

Sometimes the easiest solutions are the most effective. Keeping a tap running on cold days prevents pipes from freezing. However, you’re not required to open them at full blast. Instead, a slow drip will do. This will force the water through the plumbing system, keeping it active and preventing it from freezing. Keep a bowl to catch the trickling water and use it for cooking or watering plants.

Disconnect Garden Hoses

Disconnect and drain garden hoses when not in use. Turn off the valves that supply water to outdoor hose bibs and open a tap to drain the line. This will prevent it from holding water inside and expanding.

Avoid Adjusting Your Thermostat

Energy departments often recommend adjusting thermostats during winter to save energy. However, this doesn’t apply to a cold snap. Doing so risks freezing water in pipes.

Plumbing running through unheated areas like crawl space, attic, basement, and garage are less protected from outdoor temperatures. This means those pipes are more susceptible to freezing. Insulating unheated areas keep the pipes warm and prevent them from bursting. On top of that, well-insulated properties distribute heat more evenly, saving you from soaring heating bills.

You can add insulation yourself if you’re confident about your DIY skills. Otherwise, a professional plumber can do it for you. Either way, it’s an affordable and efficient way to keep pipes from damage and provide your home with a comfortable temperature.

Cover Exposed Pipes

Uncovered pipes are more likely to freeze and burst. This is even truer for those located in unheated places, such as along your home’s exterior walls or in the attic and basement. Adding insulation is a great way to keep the pipes from damage. You can easily find materials to insulate the pipes with from a nearby local hardware store. Popular insulation materials include fiberglass and foam. Conversely, you can use newspapers. A thick newspaper layer offers adequate insulation to keep the pipes from freezing.

Seal Air Leaks

Inspect your building for openings and cracks that let cold air in. Seal all the holes to improve the indoor temperature. Additionally, keep your garage closed since it can be a giant source of air leaks.

Thawing Frozen Pipes

If you turn on a faucet and it trickles, a frozen pipe could be the culprit. Here’s how to thaw frozen pipes and restore your water pressure.

• Open all the faucets around your residential or commercial space. As you treat the frozen pipe and the ice melts, the water will start flowing through the taps. In fact, opening faucets helps melt the ice quicker.
• Wrap an electric heating pad around the pipe to apply heat. Alternatively, you can use a portable space heater or an electric dryer. For those who do not have these appliances, a towel dipped in hot water will serve the purpose. However, avoid using kerosene, charcoal, or blowtorch heater, as they may damage the pipe.
• Apply the heat unless the water pressure is fully restored.
• Once the ice melts, the water will begin flowing from the faucets you opened previously.

If you’re unable to access the frozen pipe, calling a licensed plumber will help.

Future Protection

Because you cannot escape winter, you can take preventive measures to keep the season from taking a toll on your property. Here’s what to keep in mind to prevent frozen pipes in the future.

• Consider adding insulation to your crawl spaces, attic, and basement. This will help maintain a higher temperature in these areas, keeping the pipes warm.
• Relocate the exposed pipes to keep them from freezing. However, you’d need to hire a professional for this project.

What to Do if Nothing Works

Frozen pipes can be a serious problem. They can burst, causing extensive damage to your plumbing. So, if you've tried everything and nothing worked, it’s time to call in a professional. Experienced plumbers can quickly spot frozen pipes and thaw them using specialized equipment. They also seal cracks that may occur due to water expansion in pipes. Investing in reliable services assures unhindered water flow even at below-freezing temperatures.