Protecting Your Pipes

Even though winter is in its waning weeks, the nights are still as cold as ever and can continue to dip below freezing until late spring depending on where you live. For this reason we chose to focus this post on what is often one of the more neglected parts of your home. The plumbing. The pipes that bring us our water are often taken for granted and not thought about much...until they break. Then it's a damp disaster. One of the leading causes of plumbing issues is frozen pipes. Home and business owners tend to forget about the inner water works of their property. They go out of town during the holidays. They snuggle in bed at night with a pile of blankets to keep them warm as the temperature drops at night. They don't remember to turn off the sprinkler system during sub-freezing times. They forget that a good portion of the plumbing is located in the outside walls of the home and is therefor exposed to colder temperatures than the rest of the house. And then it happens.

A water pipe breaks, or a sprinkler line leaks. These usually occur during cold winter months or the first warm spring days when the ground thaws and sprinklers are being used again. The temperature change and the age of the pipe play vital roles when water pipes break. As water freezes it expands and puts pressure on the walls of the pipe. Over time, the structural integrity of the water pipe will be compromised. This often causes water pipes to burst. No homeowner wants to discover a water pipe break inside their home, or outside anywhere on their property.

Before the onset of cold weather, prevent freezing of these water supply lines and pipes by following these recommendations:

• Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.
• Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
• Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
• Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.
  

During the cold months, take the following actions to continually prevent pipe issues:

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

As Spring and warmer weather set in and thaw the ground, keep these steps in mind:

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Is a water pipe break covered by insurance? In most cases, damage inside your home and caused by busted water pipe is covered by your insurance company. However, if a water main breaks outside your home and then damages the interior may not be covered by your insurance company. If you are unsure about your policy coverage or have any questions about whether your claim is being properly handled, let us know!

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