Homeowners in cold areas often find the fear of frozen pipes front and center on their minds. Nonetheless, if you know what to seek out and how to prevent frozen pipes, you’ll save yourself headaches — and loads of money — down the road.
Because water expands when it gets frozen, the container holding it is pressurized. As a result, pipes — no matter how strong — holding water can eventually burst. All it really takes is one small crack or leak to lead to a pipe busting open.
According to the American Red Cross, the pipes most susceptible to freezing include:
- Swimming pool lines
- Outdoor hose bibs
- Lines to water sprinklers
- And water lines in areas that aren’t heated, like the basement, attics and garages.
If you see frost on your water line, water just trickles out of your faucets instead of gushes, or your toilets won’t refill after you flush, you could be faced with frozen pipes.
To thaw out the pipes, our Long Beach Plumbers suggest that you:
- Find a heat source (blow dryer, space heater, or warm, water-soaked towels) to apply to the frosty area. Refrain from using any sort of open-flame product.
- Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend that you apply the heat until water pressure is back to normal. While you’re thawing out, be sure to keep the faucet open so the ice-turned-water can flow out. The running water will also help the thawing process.
- Check all your other faucets to make sure there aren’t other areas of frozen pipes.
- If you do not have success or having trouble finding the source of the problem, contact a licensed Long Beach Plumber.
To prevent frozen pipes, the Red Cross advises you to:
- Let water trickle from your faucets. Even if just a periodic drop of water is falling from the faucet, it aids in keeping the pipes from freezing.
- Keep your night thermostat setting the same as your day temperature. The extra cost of heating your house at night is a much better value than dealing with burst pipes and a hefty plumbing bill.
- If you’re traveling during the winter, our Long Beach plumbers recommend that you don’t let your house get colder than 55 degrees.
- If you have water supply lines in the garage, keep the garage door closed.
- Add insulation to your attic, basement and crawl spaces to help keep the temperatures warmer.
- Remove and drain outdoor hoses.
If you are faced with an emergency and come across a burst pipe, the first thing to do is to shut off your main water supply (everyone in your family should know where it’s located). Start by mopping up and drying out what you can, keeping fans and dehumidifiers going. For over excessive damage, you will most likely need to contact your insurance company.