9 Winter Plumbing Tips for You
Don’t let your plumbing get the best of you this winter. Take preventative measures now to ensure a happy winter season where you can focus on the holidays instead of having to deal with plumbing mishaps. By taking these nine simple home maintenance tips into consideration, you can save yourself time, money, and potential damage.
1. Avoid Frozen Pipes at All Costs
Keep an eye on water pressure during the winter months, this is the first sign that you have a frozen pipe. If you notice restricted water flow or a significant change in water pressure, contact a professional plumber immediately!
2. Keep Water Moving Through Your Pipes
Doing this will help ensure your pipes don’t freeze up! The easiest way to do this is to let warm water run through your faucets at a constant trickle. Worried about water usage? Only let the water trickle during the coldest temperature hours which is typically at night.
3. Don’t Water Your Lawn or Garden
You don’t need to water your plants or grass during the winter, so make sure you disconnect your garden hoses and turn off your sprinklers to prevent any possible damage. By leaving a garden hose connected to your home, you’re risking ice and pressure build-up in the water lines inside of your home. If buildup occurs, a water line could potentially leak or break causing expensive and serious damage to your home.
4. Install Faucet Jackets
Once you have disconnected and stored your garden hoses, you will want to install an insulated faucet jacket over all exterior faucets. This is the easiest and most proactive way to protect your faucets and the water lines connected to them from freezing.
5. Drain Water Pipes
Locate the shut-off valves in your home to drain all the water from the pipes that lead to the hose bibs outside. These are commonly found near your water heater, meter, basements, crawlspaces, or under sinks. Depending on your home you may or may not be able to access these valves. For assistance, call a licensed plumber.
6. Watch the Thermostat
Prevent the pipes in your walls from freezing by keeping your home’s temperature above 55 degrees. In addition to keeping your home warm, open the cabinet doors underneath your sinks to allow the warm air to circulate keeping the pipes warmer.
8. Close the Garage Door
The most simple tip of all is this: keep your garage door closed if you store your water heater in there. This may seem obvious, it is commonly overlooked! You should also close the vents to your crawl space to prevent any cold drafts from entering your home.
9. Watch the Sump Pump
To prevent floods from happening inside your home, keep an eye on the area around your basement’s sump pump discharge line. If the drainage area is blocked by snow or flowing into a puddle, freezing could occur as well as water backing up into the house.
10. Get a Maintenance Check Every Year
Schedule your annual plumbing maintenance! The best way to prevent a plumbing crisis is by keeping your plumbing systems in tip top shape.
Need a Plumber?
For more tips on keeping your home’s plumbing working efficiently and safely, give us a call! Want to schedule a service or annual inspection? Contact us at 801-505-9505 or schedule with us online. We look forward to serving you!