If you live in a place like Minnesota, you will need to prepare your
plumbing prior to the first snow. It’s quite common to encounter
plumbing problems when the temperature drops at freezing point.
Below are winter plumbing tips that you can use if you want to ensure that the water will flow properly.
You
should be observant enough to identify if there are any frozen pipes.
Have you checked on the water flow? Is it restricted? If it is, then you
have to identify where the frozen pipe is located.
Winter Plumbing Tips
When the temperature is very low, you should open the faucet just a
little to ensure that the water is flowing. As the water moves, it can
prevent freezing. If you are making use of a garden hose, you will have
to remove it. You have to do these things before the freezing
temperature sets in. All outdoor pipes should be drained as well to
prevent potential damage.
An insulated jacket should be placed on the exterior when you take
out the hose. This is very important to protect the connection inside
your home. Some homes are equipped with shut-off valves. This is what
you will use to drain the water in the pipes found in the outdoors. At
times, this is located inside the home or near the meter.
Temperature inside the house should be maintained at 55º so that
pipes will not freeze. You also need to open the cabinet doors under the
sinks so that warm air can circulate. Garage doors and space vents
should be closed because the cold temperature can crawl in.
The water drainage should also be checked carefully. You have to make
sure that the discharge line is working properly. In Minnesota, we get
our share of cold weather. During the holidays, people tend to eat fatty
or greasy foods. This can easily
clog drains.
You must make sure that you don’t pour these things into the drain. You
can use a quality drain cleaner every week and mix it with baking soda,
salt, and tartar. At this time, the heating costs will surely soar as
the temperature plummets down.
The faucets found inside the house are subject to the harsh weather.
If you have insulating foam, you can use it to protect the faucets. Even
interior pipes need to be protected when the temperature is freezing.
Utility spaces like the basement or attic tend to have pipes as well.
You have to make sure that the pipes in the area are insulated properly.
Prevention is always better than cure. When fall starts, you have to
consult the best professionals in your area. It’s hard to keep the pipes
insulated, whether it’s inside or in the outdoors. Talk to a
Minnesota Professional Plumber for other ways avoid plumbing problems this winter.
Paul Vadnais Plumbing
Mahtomedi White Bear Lake Stillwater Plumbers
651-231-0944
651-429-8908
