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Preparing Your Pipes for Winter

We all need our houses to be in the best shape all year, which is why preparing your pipes for winter is important. Adequate preparation for the cold winter months can prevent lasting damage to your pipes and spare you the great expense of having them repaired or replaced. Taking precautions early on, before the cold winter months set in, can help you avoid burst or frozen pipes. Fortunately, preparing your pipes is surprisingly simple and quite easy to do.

Drain Any Remaining Water:

Outdoor faucets or pools and sprinklers most probably won't be in use during winter. Before the weather starts getting too cold, it's best to drain all hoses and outdoor supply lines of as much water as possible. The remaining water in these supply lines can freeze and expand, causing great damage to the pipes. Filling these pipes with compressed air will effectively get rid of excess water. Remember to also store hoses indoors during the winter.

Insulate Your Pipes:

Exposed pipes and those in basements, attics, and garages are exposed to cold air and therefore prone to freezing. Preparing your pipes for winter requires insulating exposed pipes to prevent damage that can be caused by the cold. Insulating these pipes is your best bet. Insulating them can also prevent heat loss and help your house stay warmer during the winter. Hardware stores sell pipe insulation and heat tape that you can install yourself. Insulation kits that include thermostats are also available.

Inspect for Leaks:

Leaks are a problem any time of the year, but more so during the winter. Water expands when it freezes. If leaking water starts freezing, it can cause your pipes to burst and sustain a lot of damage. If you've noticed some leaks in your pipes, make sure to fix them right away before winter and see if the leaks are prone to recurring soon. Even the smallest leaks need to be dealt with before the winter.

Make a Few Small Adjustments:

During the winter itself, there are some things that you'll need to do to maintain the good condition of your pipes through the season. Keeping higher temperatures indoors, even when you are away, will keep your pipes from freezing. Keeping cupboards open to the warm air inside your home also helps. Meanwhile, keeping garage doors closed as much as possible will keep the heat from escaping. Preparing your pipes for winter requires simple adjustments to your home.

If you need additional plumbing assistance, visit Plumbers 911 website; located in both Fresno and Modesto, they are happy to answer any questions you might have and help fix any problems.