In the winter, cold water enters the pipes in your home and can freeze, causing your pipes to contract and possibly even burst. Whether you’re facing frozen pipes, burst pipes, or just want to avoid both of these situations, here are some suggestions about how to handle your pipes in the cold weather.
Prevent Them from Freezing in the First Place
If you don’t want to deal with your pipes freezing and bursting, then try to take measures to prevent this from happening. First, check your pipes regularly for leaks, and call a professional plumber if you find any leaks. Second, try to keep the areas where your pipes are located warm. Another measure you could take is to install heat tape over your pipes which heats the water and lessens the chance of it freezing. In extreme conditions, you may want to consider letting your water run or drip slowly through the pipes, so the movement of the water from the running or dripping faucet will prevent freezing.
Fix the Frozen Water Pipe to Prevent It from Bursting
If your pipes do freeze, you should try to unfreeze them so they don’t burst. First, try to find the frozen area so you can try to unfreeze it (If you can’t find it or you can’t get to it, then call your local plumber immediately). Once you have found the freezing point, you have two options. The first thing is to safely apply some heat to the pipe to try and melt the ice. This is best done by an experienced professional. You can do significant damage to your pipes and your home if you try to do this yourself. The second thing you can do is to let your tap drip slowly, if you are able to. That way the water going through the pipe will help to melt the ice before it becomes completely frozen. If you come across a frozen pipe or suspect that you have one, move your valuables away from the area as quickly as possible and call us at Scavello Restoration immediately. We will do our best to unfreeze your pipe before it bursts.
What if Your Pipes Do Burst?
Unfortunately, your pipes may still burst if you take these preventative measures. If you find yourself in this ugly situation, there are several things you could do before the water pipe repair team comes to take care of the problem. First, switch off your electricity for safety reasons. Second, turn off your water supply to prevent any further damage to your home. Finally, beware of dangers—if you see your walls or ceilings start to bulge from the water pressure, stand back! Then, call your local plumber for advice on safety and damage prevention while you wait until someone comes to complete repairs.
Call Experienced Plumbing Professionals
Finally, it’s best to call plumbing professionals to deal with the problem. These professionals will know what to do to fix burst pipes, and they’ll be able to help you to take measures to prevent your pipes bursting in the first place and in the future. These professionals will have experience in broken water pipe repair, drain backup, toilet backup, drain cleaning, and emergency plumbing situations.
At Scavello Restoration, we are a full-service plumbing company who offers you a full range of plumbing services, including fixing a burst pipe. We also have a 24-hour emergency service if you find yourself with a burst pipe. We do both commercial plumbing and residential plumbing, so contact us today!
