Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter
It’s an unfortunate fact that frozen pipes in Pelham, NY, are pretty common. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can prevent this problem. The best news is that it’s easier to protect your home from frozen pipes than you think.
What Happens When Pipes Freeze?
Pipes become frozen when the water inside them becomes cold enough for long enough to freeze solid. When this happens, that water can expand until the pipe ruptures and leaks. This rupture causes flooding, and any sinks, showers, or toilets that rely on that broken pipe won’t work until it is fixed.
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Pelham, NY?
There are steps that homeowners can take themselves to prevent frozen pipes during the winter. Make sure that when temperatures drop you:
- Let faucets drip to keep water moving
- Keep cabinet doors under sinks open to allow warm air circulation
- Don’t turn off the heat when you leave home
- Keep your garage door closed
- Maintain a steady indoor temperature
- Open interior doors to prevent cold spots
- Have a plumber wrap vulnerable pipes in heat tape
Be especially careful when it is 20 degrees or colder outside. That is considered to be the danger zone for frozen pipes.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can ignore the problem when it’s warmer. Pipes in cold or drafty parts of your home can still freeze, even when the temperatures outside are above that danger zone.
Signs of Frozen Pipes
In many cases, it’s very easy to see that you’ve got a frozen pipe. A burst pipe will leak and cause flooding. There are other signs as well.
When your pipes are frozen, your water won’t flow as it should. You might get only a trickle when you turn on the faucet or nothing at all.
Sometimes there will be a rotten smell coming from your drains. That’s because a frozen drainpipe can’t clear away waste or the scent that comes with it. Instead, that comes back up through your sink and shower drains.
Finally, look for frost on the outside of your pipes. That’s an indication that the water inside has frozen or soon will.
Call Us for Frozen Pipes in Pelham, NY
MJ Plumbing Heating and Cooling can help. We can insulate pipes to protect them from freezing and fix pipes that have burst in the cold weather. Call us now before the harshest part of winter to set a preventative maintenance appointment.
