Loving the cozy cold of winters, but worried about the frozen pipes? We understand! Follow the guide to know how you can avoid your pipes from freezing to avoid any plumbing emergencies. So, let’s get started.
Why do pipes freeze in winter?
Well, that’s a pretty common situation when the cold is extreme in a particular location. When the temperature outside drops below 0 degrees Celsius, the water inside your pipes loses its heat to the surrounding air. This is also the freezing point of water, so things take that turn. If the pipe isn’t insulated or kept hidden away in a warm wall, that water eventually turns to ice. The trouble comes because the water expands on freezing. Unlike most liquids, it expands by about 9% when it freezes. This creates immense pressure inside the pipe, which can be a dangerous situation. This doesn’t just block the pipe, but can burst or damage it as well. Eventually, the pressure becomes too much for the metal or plastic to handle, and in most cases, the pipe ends up bursting.
Ways to avoid these frozen pipes
If you want to avoid your pipes from freezing in winter, here are some common methods that you can apply.
Seal the Cracks
If you spot any tiny cracks in your foundation or walls near pipes, try to fix them as soon as you can, as they act like a cold-air blow dryer. You can use paper or foam if there are not spots that can be filled with cement or concrete at this point.
Insulate the Concerned Parts
Focus on unheated areas like the garage or crawlspace. Insulation can be the best go-to method to avert this problem. You can buy foam specifically for pipes at any hardware store, which is useful and economical.
Avoid the Building of Pressure
If the temperature is extremely low and may drop further, act quickly. Let a faucet on an exterior wall trickle just a tiny bit. This helps to relieve the pressure that builds up between the ice and the tap, and avoids any kind of pipe bursting.
Open the Cabinets
While this may not have been your first guess, as it looks a bit messy, opening sink cabinet doors lets the house’s warm air reach the pipes inside, not letting them freeze.
Shut off the extra supply of Water
Disconnect extra hoses and only keep the important connections intact to keep the chances of bursting close to zero. It is often noted that a connected hose is the most common cause of indoor pipe bursts.
There are certain things that you can do to fix the problem!
