Extreme temperatures, hot or cold can have serious consequences for your plumbing. Excessive heat can cause pipes to expand, while extreme cold can cause pipes to freeze. It’s better to have your pipes running smoothly than to have water freeze in Winter and no hot water in Summer.
HEAT & HUMIDITY
It doesn’t matter where you live, most of us can relate to the sensation of a hot and humid summer. It can be hard to move in intense heat — it can cause you to feel tired and lethargic.
You can only do this by jumping in a pool or getting a good cold shower. If your pipes burst from excessive heat, you can’t take a shower. This occurs when heat gets trapped in pipes and causes them to expand. The water pressure can be affected by heat, which will eventually cause water to stop flowing to your home.
FROZEN TEMPERATURES
Cold weather is the most common reason for bursting pipes. It is crucial that you have a plan B for Winter to prevent pipes from burst. Contrary to popular belief a pipe doesn’t burst from ice building up inside the pipe or against its walls. A burst pipe occurs due to continuous freezing and expansion. This causes an increase of water pressure and results in complete ice blockage.
This is the unending water pressure that causes the pipe burst. Bursting does not usually occur in the areas of ice blockage — although the water has the chance to flow upstream, it is more common in areas with intense pressure.
KEEP YOUR PIPES SAFE
The water freezes in pipes when heat from the water comes into contact with below-freezing water. This can be prevented by preventing the transfer from ever happening. Insulating your pipes properly is one of the best things you can do to stop them freezing.
Remember to plan where you want plumbing to be installed in your home. Your Long Beach Plumber might be able to relocate your pipes if you’re buying a house that has an existing pipe-line. The pipes can be wrapped in insulation sleeves of 1-2 inches thickness if rerouting is not possible.
To prevent cold weather from getting into your pipes, any cracks or holes in your walls should be sealed.
Let your water flow to prevent your pipes from burst. The water pressure that is released by the faucet between any ice blockage and the faucet can be used to open the faucet. This will help prevent the pipes from burst. The release of water pressure can stop the pipe from bursting, even if it is frozen.
You can also take precautions in extreme weather. It’s important to maintain heat in your home if you are going on vacation or for business. Although it might save you money on your next gas bill it can cause pipes to burst or freeze. To avoid costly plumbing repairs, you want your home to be warm enough.
You might consider draining your water system for longer trips so there is no water left in the pipes, and thus no chance of it freezing. You can do this by turning off your main water valve, and then draining all water sources, including faucets, showers, and so on.