Frosty Temperatures and Frozen Pipes

The official first day of winter is right around the corner, but we have had some frigid overnight temperatures recently. If you're not taking the right precautions, you could be dealing with a frozen or burst pipe this winter. So, here are some quick tips to help avoid this headache:

Drain your lines

Before the sustained cold temperatures hit, you should turn off the water to the exterior of your home. After turning off the line, go outside and open the faucets to let the remaining water in the pipe bleed out. Then, utilize an insulated faucet cap to cover and protect the exterior faucet.

Insulation and Heat Tape

All pipes that are exposed to cold temperatures should at the very least be wrapped in pipe insulation. Where insulation is not possible (or where pipes are more exposed) then utilizing a product like heat tape would be beneficial. Heat tape will help keep the temperature of the pipe warm enough to avoid a frozen pipe. Remember to keep the heat tape plugged in!

Seal Cracks and Openings

There are openings and cracks all over your home. One of the reasons is for pipes and utilities to enter and exit the foundation. Having these openings close to pipes increases the amount of cold air flow, thus causing a risk of a frozen pipe. Be sure to seal the openings using the proper methods. An added bonus to sealing these small holes is that it will help keep pests and spiders out of your home in the winter months!

Maintain a Steady Temperature

It may be tempting in the winter months to lower your thermostat when you are asleep or away. Heating your home costs money, so this is a fairly common practice. However, dropping your thermostat too low could result in certain rooms of your home getting too cold to maintain warm pipe lines. Instead of turning down your heat, consider hiring a contractor to inspect your insulation and seals on your doors and windows. This will help keep your heating more efficient, and it will help protect your pipes.

Open Door Policy

Another common practice to save money on heating is to close doors to unused rooms so the warm air focuses more in the regularly utilized areas of the home. This again can cause the temperature in those "forgotten rooms" to a point that is unsafe for piping. So, it is a good idea to keep your doors open to promote warm air flow throughout the home.

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You can view our video episode that discusses more about this blog post on our YouTube page, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6heupHP_CtA

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Author: Dale M. Schlegel, Jr. - Principal at Tailored Insurance Solutions, LLC