How Can You Protect Your Pipes from the Cold Weather?

- 9:13 am - December 19th, 2019

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As Hampton Roads’ premier full-service comfort company we’ve seen it all, and so we know what can happen to a home’s plumbing system when the temperatures drop drastically. If you don’t tend to your pipes during the winter, you could be looking at costly water damage and plumbing repairs.

Most pipes are in basements, crawl spaces and other unheated areas – here’s what you can do to help protect them from the cold weather!

• Repair broken and cracked windows, doors and walls to keep air contained
  
  
• Install storm windows on basement windows for better protection
  
  
• Make sure exterior doors and windows close tightly
  
  
• Upgrade or replace old insulation in exterior walls
  
  
• Seal up crawl spaces to eliminate drafts
  
  
• Turn off the water to outdoor faucets, and remove hoses – draining the pipes first
  
  
• Insulate accessible pipes and the water meter – especially if they’re in an uninsulated garage or basement

If you do find yourself dealing with frozen pipes, and you catch it before it turns into a bigger mess, try using a hair dryer to thaw the pipes. Never use an open flame to thaw pipes, this could cause a fire! For all of your plumbing needs, don’t forget that E.T. Lawson is just a phone call away! Contact us to learn more about our plumbing services, or to sign up for a Plumbing Service Agreement.