6 Tips for Preventing Your Pipes from Bursting
A busted pipe is something no one wants to deal with. It's inconvenient, environmentally unsustainable and extremely costly to repair. To prevent a pipe from bursting in your home, there are certain precautions you can take, but one quick piece of advice: Always be mindful of your plumbing system, especially when the temperature starts to fluctuate.
Here are six tips to help curb your pipes from bursting:
1. Provide protection
Your outdoor faucets, spigots and pipes should be protected with an insulating dome. Simply place this over your fixtures to protect them from ice and frost that could cause your pipes to expand, burst and then leak. Insulating domes are available at your local hardware stores and online.
2. Manipulate the air flow
Typically, pipes located near an outside wall or window have a higher chance of freezing. To help avert these pipes from bursting, manipulate the flow of air in your home. Do so by directing the warm air toward the areas where your pipes are located. This goes for your kitchen sink, too. Leave the cabinets under your sink open to allow warm air to flow through them.
3. Lock in the leak
If your electrical wiring, dryer vents and pipes have any leaks, this could potentially allow cold air into your home. Lock in the leak and seal it with caulk or other means of insulation, like heat tape, to keep the cold air from flowing through your pipes. Even the slightest breath of air has potential to cause a significant amount of damage to your pipes.
4. Let the water flow
Release the pressure in your piping systems by allowing a slow drip of water to flow through your faucets. This will reduce the likelihood of a rupture, as you're slowing relieving some of that pressure that built up during the winter.
5. Crank the heat up
To prevent your pipes from freezing, crank the heat up a bit. Be sure not to let the temperature drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (water's freezing point) in any areas of your home where there are water lines.
6. Don't stuff your cabinets
Try to limit the amount of cleaning supplies and extra toiletries you keep underneath the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms. If you store heavy items or pile them up too high, this could warp the pipes, eventually leading to a crack.
For more information on how to protect your pipes and prevent them from bursting, contact your local Roto-Rooter professional today.