Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, Inc.
Cold Weather Tips
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Action Plumbing, Heating, A/C & Electric, Inc.
Cares About Protecting Your Home or Business

 

Severe winter weather can cause the water pipes in your home or business to freeze and potentially burst. Here are some helpful tips to avoid costly repairs. 

 

During a Deep Freeze (-5 Degrees and Below)

  • Frozen Hose Keep garage doors closed during cold weather. Many homes have the laundry room next to the garage with plumbing in the garage wall. When the temperatures fall, the lines to the laundry box can freeze and split causing quite a bit of damage. When we are called out to repair this type of plumbing problem, we add a return grill in the wall to allow warm air to circulate around these pipes.
  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals out of the reach of children.
  • Remove and carefully store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose faucets to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
  • Spray Foam Insulation When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip (at a minimal amount) from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent frozen pipes.
  • Seal off cracks, air vents, windows, and doors. Often overlooked, broken basement windows, cracks in walls and worn or missing insulation around doors and air vents are funnels for cold winter winds. Whistling through overlooked openings, they can rapidly freeze exposed water pipes.
  • Pipe Insulation Insulate pipes and faucets in unheated places. Pipelines in unprotected areas, such as garages or crawl spaces under the house, are subject to a freeze when temperatures plummet. Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes that are prone to freezing.
  • During extreme cold, keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night.
  • If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat set to a temperature no lower than 55�F, turn water off at the main shut-off and drain the pipes.
  • Water Shut Off Know where the main water shut off valve for the house is. In the event of frozen or split pipes you may need to use this valve to shut the water off to the house to prevent water leaks until a repair is made.
  • Make sure your furnace filter is changed on schedule. During colder weather your furnace works harder and longer, and dirty furnace filters can cause the furnace to overheat and cause it to shut down.
  • If you have a discharge hose attached to your sump pump outlet make sure to remove it to prevent it from freezing. A frozen line will prevent water from being discharged by the sump pump and can cause an overflow or broken pipe in the basement.   

Visit the Action Plumbing Web Site
For More Cold Weather Tips

 

Frozen PipesFrozen Water Pipes

 

If frozen pipes do occur, Action Plumbing can thaw out those pipes for you. We don't use torches for thawing, so there is no risk of a fire from an open flame. We thaw the pipes safely, using electric machines so that there is no damage to the wall or ceiling from an open flame. 

 

Give the Action team a call today at 608-837-3638 to schedule your appointment or visit our website at www.IwantActionNow.com to see other services we have available. 

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