One of the most crucial aspects to remember and do correctly is winterizing your pipes when necessary. If you live in a region that experiences different seasons and temperatures that dip down below freezing, chances are you will need to winterize certain aspects of your plumbing at some point. Failing to prepare your pipes for frozen temperatures can lead to a host of small and large-scale problems. Frozen pipes can end up cracking or busting, leaving you with a costly but necessary plumbing repair to regain full functionally of your plumbing. Be sure to always be aware of expected temperature and weather patterns as sometimes frozen temperatures can arrive sooner than normal and catch people by surprise; leaving them urgent and costly issues. Below are three essential tips for properly winterizing your plumbing and always staying one step ahead so you can avoid catastrophic problems.
Remove Any Water
The first step in preparing your pipes for any freezing weather is shutting off the main valve that allows water into that pipe or pipes. Next, you will want to open all of the drain valves and taps to ensure that no water is stuck, which is caused by a vacuum effect. After you have ensured that water is no longer being supplied and the valves and taps are open to remove any remaining water, you can start to use air to your advantage. Using some type of appropriate air compressor or blower, hooked up to the pipe, will allow you to push out the last bits of remaining water so that nothing can freeze inside.
Winterizing Appliances
If you wish to winterize other aspects inside your home, such as toilets or sinks, other precautionary measures will be necessary. If you are preparing your toilet, you will want to flush it several times, getting rid of as much water from the tank and bowl as possible. After you have removed as much water as you can, you can add some antifreeze liquid which will prevent any remaining water from freezing and breaking through a pipe. To prepare a kitchen sink for example, just add antifreeze to the drain trap so any remaining water down inside can’t freeze.
Inspect And Insulate
Once you have accomplished all of the necessary measures to remove water from pipes/appliances along with adding antifreeze where necessary, you can proceed to the final steps for good measure. Taking a good look outside of your home in edges and corners will allow you to see any cracks or areas where cold air could come in and harm parts of your home. If you find any exposed areas, be sure to get them closed up and properly insulated as soon as possible. You can also further protect exposed pipes that might experience colder air than usual like in garages, barns, or basements with insulation. If you have any other preparation or general plumbing questions don’t hesitate to ask for help from an expert plumber. If you do have any frozen pipes, contact a plumbing service that offers professional DC pipe thawing services immediately.