Don't Let Your Pipes Freeze
When winter or a surprise cold front is approaching, there are certain concerns you should have regarding your plumbing, especially if you live where you have to deal with many freezing nights. Neglecting to verify that your plumbing is prepared to endure winter weather conditions increases your odds of finding yourself in the middle of huge problems. If your home suffers a frozen pipe that happens to burst, it can lead to many types of damage. The tips here will help you to prevent freezing pipes around your house.
Don't leave the outside plumbing exposed
Outside pipes will be the most at-risk when it comes to freezing. You should have them insulated and they should be well-protected. Building an encasement around them can help prevent snow and ice from surrounding them, putting them even more at risk of freezing. You can also put insulation tape around them to help prevent issues.
Pipes that are in bathrooms or kitchens where they lead directly outside are also ones you will have to worry about the most. Pipes in bathrooms that are tucked in the center of the house will actually be safer from freezing up. Take a walk around both the inside and outside of your home to look for areas of concern so you can have them insulated or otherwise guarded from the elements.
Keep the inside of your home heated
When it's going to be very cold outside, you want to make sure you keep the inside of your home heated. Normally, you may feel okay leaving for the weekend with your heat off, as long as no other living creatures are in the house to keep warm. However, when those outside temps go below freezing, you really need to keep the house at a warmer level than that to help prevent the inside pipes from also being at risk. Make sure there is access to pipes behind cupboard doors by opening them.
Keep a small amount of water going through the pipes
Water slowly going through the pipes will also help to stop it from becoming frozen. You don't need to have a heavy flow going through the pipes, but you do want more than a slow drip. Turn the faucet on and put it to where the water just starts to be a stream after being simply drops. Make sure you do this to all the faucets with pipes that go directly to the outside.
For more information and tips, contact a commercial plumbing company in your area.