Prevent Freezing Pipes In Your Home This Winter

Your home’s worst winter nightmare–frozen pipes. As the Mid Atlantic prepares for freezing temperatures, make sure your home’s plumbing is prepared by winterizing it with the appropriate steps.

In recent years it is estimated that a quarter of a million homes’ pipes freeze each year. A crack 1/8th of an inch can leak as much as 250 gallons of water a day, destroying your home’s interior and its contents. Inadequate insulation is often to blame but poor line installation can also make any exposed plumbing pipes freeze in cold temperatures. Pipes that run outside your home, at exterior walls, need to be insulated including ones in unheated areas such as basements, attics and crawlspaces.

If you are away from your home keep the heat at 60 degrees or more and be sure to turn water off at the main valve and open faucets to prevent freezing and bursting pipes. This holds true for instances when your home’s heat fails for an extended amount of time. In this case, open faucets allow for the thawing water to expand and drain out instead of bursting. In contrast, your outside garden hose faucets should always be turned off during winter months on both the exterior and interior to avoid freezing.

If you detect a frozen pipe or a water leak, turn off the main water supply– it is best to leave a burst pipe problem for a professional plumber to fix. Be sure to contact your insurance company if there is any sort of water damage to your home. Do not try to thaw any suspect pipe on your own, especially with an open flame. This could cause further damage to your pipes or, in the worst-case scenario, even start a fire.

Guardian Plumbing of Annapolis, Maryland has the experience and technical knowledge to service all of you home’s plumbing needs. We also offer emergency service for any potential plumbing diasters–including frozen pipes.