Snap, Crackle, and Pop! Best practices to avoid winter pipe freezes!

3/10/2016 (Permalink)

Pipes

Many people welcome the crisp, cold winter weather, but nobody welcomes pipe-related headaches that come with the dropping temperatures. Frozen pipes are far more common than most would think, affecting hundreds of thousands of families every winter. 

The best way to handle pipe freezes are to prevent them in the first place.

Follow these SERVPRO Tips:

Spend a little, Save a lot:

Temperatures only need to be at 31 degrees for your pipes to freeze and cause you a headache

Even if your house is 45 degrees, waterlines close to exterior walls (I.E. baseboard heaters) can be significantly colder because of their proximity to an uninsulated exterior wall, your house may be 45 degrees, but your pipes may be dangerously close to freezing

Spend the extra few dollars in fuel, and save yourself a lot of time and frustration in the long run

Let your pipes feel the heat:

Be sure to keep your pipes insulated to ensure warmth

Open cabinet doors to allow uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances close to exterior doors, allowing the heat from your house to heat your pipes

Keep it moving:

Keeping a faucet open to allow a continuous drip ensures that the water in your pipes are moving and decreases the chance of a freeze significantly.

In the event that you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a pipe-related problem, the SERVPRO team would be happy to lend a helping hand!