Call (289) 788-0038

Call (289) 788-0038

Winter Plumbing: How to Make Sure Your Pipes Don’t Freeze

Frozen faucet in winter

Frozen pipes are the bane of winter plumbing, and more than usually ends up costing you a good sum of money. Southern Ontario often experiences extreme temperatures in the winter, with temperatures frequently dropping well below freezing. This means pipes can freeze very easily, and leaves risk for pipe bursts. Let’s talk about a few things you can do as a homeowner to prevent yourself from getting into this predicament in the first place. 

Preventative Action

Keep garage doors closed if you have water supply lines installed:

  • Pipes are more prone to freezing considering their location, emphasis on the unheated areas of your home. Your garage isn’t a typical place to keep heated, so keeping all doors shut as much as possible helps seal out the cold air.
  • You can also place an electric heater near your pipes to keep the water at above-freezing temperature levels.

Open sink cabinet doors to allow warm airflow to keep pipes from freezing.

Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing, especially if your sinks are on an exterior wall. (If you have small children, be sure to remove any harmful cleaners and household chemicals.)

Let water drip from the faucet so your pipes won’t freeze:

When we say drip, we mean drip. Don’t run your water bill up by turning the faucet on full blast; all you need is a little drip from your tap.

You can even take turns turning on different faucets in your house if you’d like. Water running through your pipes helps prevent a frozen one.

What if I already have a frozen pipe?

If a trickle comes out of your faucet when you turn it on, there’s probably a frozen pipe. Most issues are found in exterior walls or near your water tank. Keep your faucet wide open as running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe. This is why we recommended above to make sure you let your faucets drip!

Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature all day and night: 

In older model homes, we’ve discovered improper insulation in the wall structure. If you have the extra cash, go ahead and try to get those walls insulated as fast as possible.

Ideally, you may need to wait it out a bit- we get it… so we offer a second option: turning up your thermostat to increase airflow in the walls and through the floor. The heat reaches the crawl space and keeps your pipes from freezing. Keeping it at the same temperature prevents a pipe burst. 

Leaving for the weekend? Keep the heat on in your home!

If you plan to leave your house for a long weekend or an extended period of time, we recommend additional maintenance to your home before you head off. Be sure you shut off your main water supply and drain the system by opening all faucets and flushing the toilets. 

If you are experiencing extreme pipe freezing, give us a call at Royal Flush Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, or have any outstanding questions answered, call (289) 788-0038 or visit our main website today.

 

We understand that emergencies can happen at any time.

Call us 24/7 and our team of highly trained professionals will be on the road in minutes!