You know the feeling. You’re sitting on the couch in front of the fire, enjoying a piping-hot cup of cocoa and reading a good book. Suddenly, you realize that the temperature has dropped outside, and it’s getting pretty cold.
You run to the window and see your pipes are frozen solid! What do you do?
Well, Freezing pipes are no joke. They can cause thousands of dollars in damages, and it’s important to take precautions before the temperature drops below freezing.
While thawing pipes is possible, it’s much better to prevent them from freezing in the first place. In this article, we’ll provide tips on how to prevent pipes from freezing and why it’s important to back up your plumbing with service agreements from a professional Toms River plumber.
Thaw Might Not be Enough
Frozen pipes can be a real pain to deal with. The best way to avoid them is to thaw pipes. But if your pipes do freeze and you’re faced with the decision of whether or not to thaw them out, there are some things you should know.
First, don’t let the frozen pipe sit there for too long. If it’s been frozen for more than 24 hours, there’s no reason to try to thaw it out. You might damage the pipe by trying—it’s better just to call a plumber and have him take care of it.
Second, make sure you’re only using methods that are approved for thawing out frozen pipes. This includes running hot water into the pipe from a faucet or using heat lamps or steamers (not open flames). If you use an open flame near a frozen pipe, there’s a good chance it will crack! And that could lead to flooding and other problems down the road.
Lastly, frozen pipes can cause a lack of water pressure or no water at all. That’s why it’s essential to take steps to prevent pipes from freezing before anything else.
What are the Temporary Steps to Prevent Pipes from Freezing
Winter is coming, and it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to protect your home from the cold. One of the most crucial things to consider when winterizing your home is your plumbing. If there are frozen pipes, how to keep pipes from freezing?
Frozen pipes can cause damage that can be costly to repair. Luckily, you can take some temporary steps to prevent your pipes from freezing this winter. Here are a few tips on how to take care of pipes in winter:
Open the faucets
This may seem counterintuitive, but if you open the faucets in your home, it helps keep the water moving through the pipes. This will help prevent them from freezing.
Use a space heater
If your pipes are exposed to cold air, use a space heater to warm them up. This will help keep them from freezing as well.
Wrap the Pipes
If you wrap your exposed pipes with insulation or a towel, it will help keep them warm and protected from freezing temperatures outside. However, do not cover any electrical outlets or switches with this insulation because they could get too hot!
Apply Heat Tape
You can buy heat tape at most hardware stores that will wrap around exposed pipes in your home to prevent them from freezing during cold weather months. Wrap this around all exposed pipes where there is no insulation on top of them so that all areas are protected from freezing temperatures outside!
Use a hairdryer
If all else fails, you can use a hairdryer on low heat, setting it directly against your pipes for several minutes at a time until they thaw out completely.
Remember, these steps are temporary and should not be used as a long-term solution for Toms River, NJ, and surrounding areas. Once the weather improves, take steps to properly insulate your pipes using an effective insulation material such as foam.
Tips on How To Prevent Pipes From Freezing
Freezing pipes and repiping in Toms River can be a huge problem, especially if they are not properly insulated. If your home has been experiencing freezing temperatures, taking some permanent steps to prevent damage to your pipes is important.
Here are a few tips to prevent pipes from freezing
Insulate Pipes: The most effective approach to keeping pipes from freezing is to insulate them. Insulating the pipes keeps the heat inside and keeps the cold out. To insulate pipes in unheated locations such as attics, crawl spaces, and garages, you can use foam pipe insulation, fiberglass insulation, or heat tape.
Seal Cracks and Holes: Tiny cracks and holes in your home’s walls or foundation can let cold air in and cause pipes to freeze. Seal these holes with caulking, spray foam insulation, or weather stripping to keep cold air out of your home.
Maintain Heat: Throughout the winter, keep your home at a steady temperature. This will prevent cold patches from forming, which can cause pipes to freeze. Use a programmed thermostat to keep the temperature steady even while you’re not at home.
Allow Faucets to Drip: Letting faucets drip helps alleviate pressure in pipes and keep them from exploding. It also keeps the water flowing through the pipes, which stops them from freezing. A little drop is all that is required to keep the water flowing.
Open cabinet doors: Keep cabinet doors open during cold weather if your home has pipes running through the cabinets. This circulates warm air around the pipes, keeping them from freezing.
What to do if pipes still freeze?
If you’ve tried everything and your pipes still freeze, don’t worry! Here are a few tips to help you out:
- Turn off the water supply to the affected pipe(s) and let it drain. If there’s an exposed pipe, wrap it in insulation or plastic to prevent further damage.
- If possible, leave a trickle of water flowing through the pipe until it warms up again (as long as this doesn’t cause more damage). Then turn on the water supply and check for leaks.
- Check for other sources of heat in your home—such as radiators, space heaters, etc.—and direct them toward the frozen pipes until they’re thawed out.
- Back up your plumbing with service agreements from plumbing companies near you.
Why You Need Service Agreements from Plumbing Companies Near You
Do you know what’s great about your plumbing? It keeps your whole house running smoothly, and you don’t have to worry about it. Right?
Yeah, well, no, actually. You should probably be worried about it because things happen. Despite taking precautions, sometimes pipes can still freeze. This is where service agreements from plumbing companies near you come in handy.
Service agreements provide regular maintenance to your plumbing system, catching problems before they become emergencies. They also provide priority service in emergencies, ensuring that your plumbing problems are taken care of quickly and efficiently.
Plumbing companies like MyGuy Plumbing offer service agreements that include inspections, cleaning, and repair work. Our service agreements are designed specifically for proactive homeowners in Toms River, NJ, and surrounding areas who want peace of mind when it comes to their plumbing systems. We know how much of a hassle it can be to deal with plumbing issues, and we want to help ensure you never have to worry about having an issue again.
With MyGuy Plumbing’s service agreement in place, you can rest assured that your plumbing is taken care of and that you won’t be caught off guard by a frozen or burst pipe.
Our plumbing service plans include the following tasks:
-Checking for leaks, clogs, and other issues
-Patching up holes in walls and floors
-Cleaning the inside of your pipes and drains
-Unclog the tub/shower drain
– and many more!
Winter is coming, but you don’t have to let the cold snap freeze your pipes.
Take precautions before the temperature drops, and contact us today at (732) 492-3968 to learn more about our Plumbing Service Agreement and to sign up for an annual plan.
