Water may be essential for life, but it can also be your home’s worst enemy. In the winter, it can especially wreak havoc on your plumbing. Midwest Remediation has seen the devastating effects of frozen and burst pipes, and we have over 30 years of experience helping homeowners like you to recover from such plumbing disasters. We’ll go over the cause of pipes freezing and breaking, as well as provide some tips to prevent frozen pipes in your home this winter.
As you know, the water that flows through your pipes in the winter is much colder than it is in the warmer seasons. When cold water enters the pipe, it causes it to contract. The effect of contraction is what causes weak areas of the pipe to leak, until one day the pipe may burst. Since you can't control the temperature of the water coming into your home, you must become and stay aware of your plumbing system and check for leaks.
If the outside temperatures are extremely cold, you should keep one or two faucets running slowly. The constant trickle of water through your pipes will prevent them from freezing. The pipes near an outside wall or near window are more prone to freezing and would fare better with warm air directed toward them. Check pipes near the exterior of your home, starting in your basement.
Is your kitchen sink on an outside wall? If so, you should leave the cabinet doors open so that warm air can circulate. Along with allowing a trickle of water to flow through your pipes, open cabinet doors can help your odds against ending up with frozen pipes.
You can hire a plumber to install heat tape during the cold weather months, which will help warm your pipes. You also need to be mindful of any air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and especially your pipes. Insulation or caulk will help you keep the cold out. With extreme winter temperatures, even a small opening can allow enough cold air in to cause your pipe to freeze.
Midwest Remediation knows how to properly clean up any plumbing disaster. Hopefully, these tips will help you with prevention. We can handle any crisis, such as a water heater leak, flooded basement, toilet and sewage overflow, water damage insurance claims, and much more. Contact us today at (317) 826-0940 to request free estimate. We serve Indianapolis including Central Indiana and the surrounding areas of Carmel, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Lebanon, Greenwood, Greenfield, Shelbyville, Mooresville, Greencastle, and Lafayette.
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