Prevent Your Pipes from Freezing and Bursting
First, picture this: you return home from winter vacation and open the front door. You step foot inside and realize your home has morphed into an ice rink! That’s because, while you were gone, your heat went out and, due to the frigid temperatures, your pipes froze, causing them to burst and unleash gallons upon gallons of water. While not every scene will be so dramatic, even an ordinary burst pipe can cost you thousands of dollars to clean up and fix. Winter's not over yet, so what can you do to prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting? Follow these steps:
- First and foremost, don’t turn off the heat, and keep your thermostat set to at least 55°F.
- Put your faucet on a slow drip to keep the water flowing and prevent freezing.
- Install anti-freeze faucets on the exterior of your home.
- Use expanding foam to seal gaps in your basement where you feel drafts.
- Insulate exposed piping using fiberglass sleeves or thick foam.
If your pipes freeze, DO NOT use a heater, blowtorch or another device using an open flame. Instead, apply heat to the frozen section of the pipe using a hair dryer. If your pipes burst, shut the water off right away, remove standing water with a wet vacuum and contact a plumber.
Now picture this: you return home from winter vacation and open the front door. You step foot inside and realize … things are just the way you left them. Contact Coan Oil today to learn more about preventing frozen pipes, so you can return to a cozy, warm, problem-free home.