One of the most frustrating things about winter is having home water pipes freeze over. Whether it be a pipe coming from your laundry or a sink in your house, located under the kitchen or living room, frozen pipes can make life extremely difficult! Read on to discover four tips to help you avoid “the big freeze” and costly damage to your home investment.
Why Winterizing Your Faucets Is Important
Winterizing faucets is critical when it comes to keeping pipes from becoming frozen. When this happens, faucet leaks can create an ice dam in your basement or drainpipe, causing water damage in your home. To prevent this problem all you need to do is winterize your faucets before the coldest season of the year rolls around.
Ways You Can Protect Your Faucets
A frozen tap is a source of unnecessary stress, wasted money for replacements, and the disruption of not being able to turn the water on for days at a time. Here’s how to prevent that from happening.
Tip #1 Install a Freeze-Proof Faucet
Most freeze-proof faucets are thermostatic, meaning they can sense the temperature in the water pipe and shut off the flow of water if the temperature reaches the point where the pipe will freeze. When the water turns back on, it flows more slowly, preventing the pipe from freezing.
Tip #2 Drain Out Residual Water
If you leave taps turned on for too long during winter, they can freeze. You must drain out any excess water from your faucet to avoid freezing. If the valve is leaking, it may expand and crack, which could cause water damage to your plumbing system.
Tip #3 Install an Outdoor Faucet Protector
In cold climates, installing a faucet protector is necessary on any outdoor faucets. Without a protector, water could freeze and expand in the handle, causing leaks. Upon shutting off the flow of water to your faucet, you want to make sure there isn’t any water left behind. A protector cover should be placed over the faucet to prevent water from freezing and increasing pressure within the line.
Tip #4 Add Antifreeze to Pipes
Anti-freeze is a commonly used liquid to prevent freezing in pipes and water faucets. It should be added right at the beginning of the cold season so it can be effective, particularly if the weather is especially cool or damp. To add antifreeze, you should use a funnel or non-metal container so that there’s no chance of damaging pipes, appliances, or other components. Along with proper extraction methods, these chemicals will also inhibit any rusting that can occur in pipes that freeze.
Be Proactive
Winter can seem like an endless season of ice, leaks and frozen pipes. So preventing the underlying issue before it becomes an emergency, can help you save money and stress in the long run. Preventions are always better than cures. To stop leaks, arrange an expert plumbing service that includes the winterization of water pipes. Don’t wait until the cold weather arrives. Call JJ’s Plumbing on 1-604-479-2232 or send us a message to receive a free, non-obligatory quote.
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