How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes are a common problem in cold weather. They can cause a lot of damage to your home and be very costly to repair. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent them from happening.

Why is Pipe Freezing a Problem

Frozen pipes are a problem because they can cause extensive damage to your home. Water expands when it freezes, and this can cause pipes to burst. This can lead to severe flooding and expensive repairs.

How to Protect Pipes from Freezing

• Add insulation to basements, attics, and crawl spaces. 
• Check around your home for other areas where your water supply lines are in unheated areas.
• Remove, drain, and store outdoor hoses. 

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

• Keep your home warm: One of the simplest ways to prevent frozen pipes is to keep your home warm. When the temperature inside your home dips below freezing, there’s a greater risk that your pipes will also freeze. So crank up the heat or add an extra layer of blankets to stay warm and reduce the risk of frozen pipes.
• Insulate exposed pipes: If you have any exposed pipes in your home, be sure to insulate them to prevent freezing. You can use pipe insulation sleeves, foam tape, or even rags to insulate your pipes and keep them from freezing.
• Let the faucets drip: If you’re worried about your pipes freezing, open up all the cold water faucets in your home and let them drip slowly. This will help keep water moving through the pipes and reduce the risk of them freezing over.
• Keep cabinet doors open: During colder weather, keep the doors to any cabinets that contain plumbing open. This will allow warm air to circulate around the pipes and help prevent them from freezing.
• If you know there is going to be a cold snap, make sure to keep your heat on at least 55 degrees. This will help keep the water in your pipes from freezing.

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes

• Keep the faucet open. As you begin to thaw the frozen pipe, water will begin to glow through the frozen pipes and help melt the ice.
• Apply heat until the full water pressure is restored
• Call a Professional Plumber