Winter has not even officially arrived, and we have already seen nighttime temps in the 30’s. Looks like we may be in for a cold winter. A cold winter equates to a higher chance for plumbing problems. To prevent plumbing issues during winter, you should focus on protecting exposed pipes from freezing by insulating them, letting faucets drip slightly to keep water moving through the pipes, checking for leaks, accessing crawl spaces to seal gaps, and disconnecting outdoor hoses or draining outdoor faucets.
Key winter plumbing preventative maintenance tasks:
- Insulate exposed pipes: Wrap exposed pipes, particularly those in unheated areas like basements or crawl spaces, with pipe insulation to prevent freezing.
- Let faucets drip slightly: When temperatures drop significantly, allow a faucet to drip very slowly overnight to maintain water flow and prevent pipe freezing.
- Check for leaks: Regularly inspect all faucets, pipes, and connections for any signs of leaks and fix them promptly.
- Access crawl spaces: If your home has a crawl space, check for any cracks or gaps that could allow cold air to reach pipes and seal them appropriately.
- Disconnect outdoor hoses: Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets and drain any remaining water to prevent freezing.
- Drain outdoor faucets: If your outdoor faucets have a shut-off valve, turn off the water supply and then open the faucet to drain any remaining water.
- Locate your main water shut-off valve: Know where your main water shut-off valve is located in case of a plumbing emergency.
- Consider a professional inspection: For older homes or if you have concerns, give us a call and take $25 off winterization this month!
