Avoid Leaking Pipes this Winter
Winter Tips from Rocket Plumbing
With winter around the corner and temperatures in Chicago getting cooler, it’s important to get your home ready for the frigid months ahead. One of the key areas of your home that needs to be winterized is your plumbing. In order to avoid the cost and inconvenience of leaking or bursting pipes this winter, follow these Rocket Plumbing tips and make sure your plumbing is protected for the deep freeze ahead.
- Protect your exposed pipes– Wrapping your un-insulated pipes with foam tubes from your local hardware store can help keep water inside from freezing, which causes pipes to burst. Make sure to duct tape around the tubes if they do not come with adhesive edges, to keep them from slipping off.
- Take care of your water heater- If you have an older model water heater located in your basement or another unheated area of the house, it’s just as subject to freezing and bursting as your pipes are. Make sure to inspect your water heater throughout the winter months, and replace it immediately if you see any bends, bulges or cracks, or if you detect rust in the water.
- Drain outside supply pipes– If water is left in your outdoor supply lines, they can freeze and spread into your indoor pipes, causing potential disaster! The best way to avoid this situation is to drain your outdoor supply pipes after closing the shut-off valves that supply them with water. Make sure to keep the outside valves open so any water left inside the pipes can expand if it freezes, and don’t forget to disconnect your garden hose. Water inside garden hoses can act like electricity, the water freezing inside a garden hose can connect to the lines connecting to and inside the home, bursting pipes.
- Take precautions before traveling- If you are going out of town for the holidays, be sure to shut off your main water supply valve, open your faucets and flush every toilet in the house to drain all the water from your pipes before you leave. If you will be gone for an extended period, it is also a good idea to drain the water heater. This will help prevent you from coming home to a flooded home.
- Open cabinets and close garage doors– One of the best ways to ensure that your indoor pipes stay warm enough is to open the cabinet doors under all of your sinks. This will allow the warm air in your house to heat them, preventing them from freezing. It is also a good idea to make sure your garage door stays closed at all times, in order to keep out the cold air.
We all know how cold the winters can get here in Chicago. Rocket Plumbing can help you with winterizing your pipes for the cold months ahead. Call today to speak with one of our experienced plumbing crew or to schedule an appointment.
