Frozen Pipes

If you are a Minnesota homeowner, dealing with the possibility of frozen pipes is an inevitable part of winter.  Frozen pipes occur when water trapped inside them freezes.  The real danger, of course, comes from the consequences of frozen pipes.  As the water freezes and expands, it can cause your pipes to burst resulting in serious damage to both your plumbing system and your home as a whole.  However, this is certainly a situation in which an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!  Take these preventative steps to avoid frozen pipes in your home:

• Before cold weather hits check to make sure all of your pipes are properly insulated.  Disconnect garden hoses and use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water leading to faucets outside the house.

 

• If you know of a pipe particularly prone to freezing, allow the faucet to drip ever so slightly.  Keeping the valve open a small amount will help to prevent frozen pipes by allowing excess pressure to drain.

 

• High risk  areas include pipes located in garages or crawl spaces or pipes that run through cabinets or closets.  To help avoid frozen pipes in these areas, keep garage doors closed as much as possible and open closet and cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing in these areas.

 

• When traveling in the winter months, shut off and drain your water system, deactivate any fire protection sprinklers, and never set your thermostat  below fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit.

If your pipes DO freeze, don’t panic.  Frozen pipes do not necessarily mean burst pipes.  However, if you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out, leave your faucet valve open and contact your plumber immediately.

frozen pipes · Minnesota remodeling · pipe maintenance · preventing frozen pipes · seasonal home tasks · winter maintenance

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