There are so many aspects to good home maintenance. Winterizing your home and protecting your pipes from cold weather is one of the most important steps. This quick guide will provide more information on what to do if your pipes freeze or you have a frozen water line. Keep reading to learn more.
What Causes Frozen Pipes?
You might think that the obvious answer to this question is that pipes freeze because it is cold outside, but there is a little more to it than that. Not all pipes will freeze in the winter. Some pipes freeze because they have not been insulated from freezing temperatures. When pipes are located near the home’s outer walls, they are far more susceptible to freezing once the temperatures drop below 32. Pipes that lie more toward the interior spaces of the home do not carry as much risk, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
How To Handle a Busted Pipe
If the pipes freeze, there is a good chance that the pipe will also burst. The pipe will burst because the frozen water expands, and it can cause cracks in the pipe while the water is frozen. You will not know that you have a busted pipe until the water thaws back out and starts running again. The water will run into places it does not belong, like the floors, ceiling, under sinks, and other places. You might know that a pipe is frozen because you will notice that water is not running.
It is important to act fast if a pipe bursts. This can cause extensive water damage to your home if left unattended for too long. You should first shut off the water source outside. You should also consider shutting off electricity to the flooded area too to avoid electric shock.
Start mopping up the water and removing it as quickly as possible to reduce the damage to your floors and walls. Use a wet/dry shop vac if needed.
You will need to quickly locate the busted pipe and replace it before you can turn the water back on. If you are not confident about doing this type of repair, call in a plumbing contractor in Grand Rapids for help.
Unfreeze Pipes Before They Burst
If pipes have frozen, you can check carefully for cracks by applying heat to the affected area. You may be able to unfreeze the pipes and get the water flowing before cracks can develop.
How To Prevent Frozen Pipes
There are many good steps you can take to prevent this problem from happening. First, you should have your pipes, especially those along outlying walls, insulated properly.
You should also leave a small amount of water running during extremely cold temps. You can also use supplemental heat to warm areas that contain outlying pipes.
It is also a good idea to protect outdoor faucets from freezing temperatures with a faucet cover.