It’s the winter season, and many people especially homeowners or property owners will be dealing with frozen pipes. As the temperature is dropping across the country accompanied by strong winds and blowing snow. You might have the contact details of an emergency plumber in London.
What is the effect of this on homes?
As the water pipe freezes, it expands the water and put pressure on metal or plastic (depending on the material of the pipes) which can result in pipes bursting.
Normally, homeowners or property owners are advised to winterize their pipes before winter sets in. However, if you have not done that or you have forgotten your house might be suffering from a weak spot or making it prone to freezing pipes which can eventually result in bursting. But do not worry, there is still time to prevent it.
How to prevent pipes from bursting
Keep the thermostat at a constant temperature
Keeping the thermostat set to the same temperature during the day and night is a good way to go to prevent frozen pipes in your home. Do not lower the temperature at night because you want to save some money on the heating bills, it will outright backfire and cost you much more (a burst pipe repair is much more costly than saving your heating bills).
Seal leaks and drafty
Patch up every leaky or drafty area in your home. The gaps or leaks inside and outside will allow cold air to enter the house, thereby lowering the temperature around your plumbing system resulting in frozen pipes or pipes bursting.
Check through your house, if you discover any areas where air could sneak in, get insulation or caulk to seal them up.
Insulate your pipes
Insulating your pipes is the best way to keep your pipes from freezing and bursting. Go to your nearest DIY store and get pipe insulation: some are made of fiberglass, polyethylene, or foam, depending on the type you prefer. If you have some handy skills and you get some free time you can insulate the pipes yourself and save yourself some money.
But if you can’t, it is recommended to call an affordable plumbing service in London to fix that for you professionally in other not to damage more things that can cost you a fortune.
Adding insulation to your attics, basements, and crawl spaces will maintain a higher temperature in those areas because those areas’ pipes are mostly exposed to harsh weather.
How To Prevent Pipes From Frozen While On Vacation
When you go on vacation, it is meant to be enjoyed and not worry about the state of your home, especially this winter season. The first thing you need to prioritize before going on vacation is to winterize your home thoroughly before you leave, if you have not done that call an emergency plumber near me to do this for you. Then follow these things below:
Set your thermostat at a normal level: check your home thermostat and set it at a temperature not lower than twelve degree Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). Also, if need be replace the battery in your thermostat for maximum efficiency.
Call for help: ask any of your neighbors or a close friend that is not on vacation to help you check your house daily to ensure the temperature is warm enough to prevent freezing.
Shut off the main water line: shut off the water and drain the pipe by opening every faucet for the remaining water in the pipe.
Noticeable signs if your pipe is frozen
Okay, before taking some prevention precautions, you need to check if your home plumbing is not already suffering from the ice blockage. Check out this sign:
Frosty pipes: if you realize some part of your plumbing pipes is exposed, check the pipes if any frost is on the surface of the pipe. If it has then there is a higher chance that your pipe has been frozen.
Strange smell: if you discover a strange odor coming out of your faucet or drain, it is a sign of ice blockage.
No running water: if you turn on your faucet and nothing gushes out or just a trickle of water comes out, this is an indication that your pipe has been blocked with ice.
What to Do If Your Pipe Freezes
After thorough diagnoses and you realize that your pipe is frozen, here are some things you need to take caution of:
- By all means, avoid using electrical appliances where there is standing water. It can electrocute you.
- Do not use open flames to thaw your pipe because it can leads to a fire hazard. And fire hazard are more dangerous than water damage.
- With ultimate caution, use a hair dryer as the heat source to thaw frozen pipes. But make sure not to stand in the water, and start the heating by warming the pipe close to the faucets to the coldest section of the pipe.
- Shut off the main water supply. If you don’t know where it is located, let everyone in the family know where it is located and how to turn it on and off. Do not forget to turn your house water faucets on.
- Finally, then you can call a plumbing service in London for a plumber or an emergency plumber for the plumbing repairs.
we are the plumbing service near you and we operate all around the clock at an affordable rate. Call us today and we will be at your door shortly.
