Your New Year’s Resolution: Protect Your Pipes!

- 11:52 am - December 20th, 2018

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If you’ve experienced a frozen or burst pipe situation at any point in 2018, then your goal for next year should be to prevent it from happening again... if you avoided frozen or burst pipes for the entirety of 2018, then your goal for 2019 should be to continue your streak!

Either way, it’s wise to know what you can do to protect your pipes, prevent pipes from freezing and how to thaw frozen pipes should they succumb to low temperatures. 

Protect your pipes by…

• Draining water from any water supply lines located outdoors, including those used for swimming pool and water sprinklers
• Removing, draining and storing hoses that are used outdoors
• Adding insulation to attics, basements and crawlspaces to maintain higher temperatures
• Installing products, such as pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat tape or other similar materials on exposed water pipes 

Prevent frozen pipes by…

• Keeping garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage
• Opening kitchen and cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate
• Letting the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes when the weather is very cold outside
• Keeping the thermostat set the same temperature both day and night 

Thaw frozen pipes by…

• Keeping the faucet open to give the melting ice somewhere to go
• Applying heat to the suspect section of the pipe using an electric heating pad, hair dryer, or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. DO NOT use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device!
• Applying the heat until full water pressure is restored
• Checking all faucets in your home to find if other pipes may have also frozen

Keep these tips in mind when we face the low, cold temperatures of a Tidewater Virginia winter – and resolve to keep your home free of frozen pipes in 2019! For extra protection, our comprehensive Plumbing Service Agreement keeps your plumbing system operating efficiently and safely year after year. Contact us today to enroll!