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How Can I Prevent Frozen Pipes?
We experience some cold winters here in the Midwest. Are there ways to make sure the pipes in our home don’t freeze during the winter?
Yes, there are measures you can take before the cold weather arrives to prevent frozen pipes. Disconnect, drain and store your garden hoses. Remember, if your house is equipped with interior shut-off valves, to close them, then open the outside faucet and drain out all the water. You can keep it open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing a pipe to burst.
You also can insulate water supply lines that are in unheated areas of the home, such as the basement, crawl spaces, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets, to prevent frozen water pipes.
We are going to be away from home for a few weeks during the coldest part of the year. Are there steps we can take to ensure we don’t come home to frozen pipes?
Yes, if you plan to be away from home for an extended period during the coldest winter months and are concerned about pipes freezing, turn off your home’s main water supply, close the inlet and outlet valves on your water heater, and put it in vacation mode or turn it off. If turning off a gas water heater, be sure to turn off the gas valve that feeds it, but not the home’s main gas valve if it supplies the home’s furnace. Next, open all faucets to drain water from the water supply pipes. Flush toilets until all water is drained from the toilet tanks. Leave the furnace turned on and set no lower than 55-degrees Fahrenheit. Please note these are extreme steps that may not be necessary if you’ve lived in your home long enough to know it has never had a pipe freeze and there are no vulnerable water supply pipes in attics, crawl spaces, or garages.
What if we do come home to a frozen pipe?
If a pipe has frozen, apply heat to the section of pipe using a hair dryer, electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe or a portable space heater. Do NOT use a blowtorch, kerosene heater or other open flame device. When thawing frozen pipes, start nearest to the faucet. Keep the faucet open so water can flow through the frozen area and help melt the ice inside.
If you need professional help, call Roto-Rooter. Our plumbing and drain professionals can provide assistance when homeowners experience plumbing-related problems inside or outside of the home. And, our water cleanup team can also remove water and dry your home professionally in the event of a burst or leaking pipe.