Frozen Pipe Prevention: Roto Rooter

January 23rd, 2012 by Roto-Rooter Bloggers

When winter months roll around, there are lists of thing you have to worry about. Besides holiday shopping, icy roads, and snowstorms, many people run into frozen pipes in Jersey City and experience serious plumbing problems. Since plumbing is mostly undergrounding, in the walls, and under floorboards, we often forget to take into account everything that goes on when we aren’t looking. Even for the most careful homeowner, things slip by and cause serious problems. Roto Rooter has been a trusted name in plumbing since 1935 and has helped millions of people find solutions to their problems with great service, products, and professionals. We are happy to provide information that will you better care for your plumbing needs.

When pipes freeze, most cases result in a cracked piped or completely shattered line. Waterlines that are full of water are usually more at risk for completely shattering because there is so much water expanding. When the ice forms, it bursts through the pipeline and causes serious damage. If you use your water daily, the chances of this happening decrease greatly. For this reason, if you plan on leaving for an extended period of time and your house is going to be empty, have your plumbing winterized so that all your pipes are clear and free of potential ice formation.

If you are home much of the winter season, while you regular water lines are less at risk, drains can easily get damaged. Most damage that is caused in Jersey City frozen pipes is actually a result of air pressure bursting through. As water and air get trapped in a drain, water that starts to freeze and pushes on the trapped air and greatly increasing air pressure. If the water freezes quick enough, the spike in air pressure can actually explode through the pipe and will often occur a ways away from where the actual ice formed.

To prevent your waterlines and drainage pipes from freezing, it is important to make sure that you have enough insulation. Waterlines that enter the home often time run along outer walls that are exposed to outside temperatures. If you live in an especially cold climate, these cold temperatures will easily affect your plumbing. Adding a layer of insulating to act as a buffer will do a lot to keep water from freezing. On top of that, wrapping the pipes with specially made pipe insulation will act as a winter coat and keep the freezing temperatures at bay.

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