5 Steps to Winter-Safe Plumbing

As it gets cold, protecting your home’s plumbing is very important. There are certain precautions you need to take to prevent frozen or burst pipes, which can cause extensive and costly home damage. Here are five things you need to do to winterize your plumbing before the temperature drop.

Insulate Pipes and Your Water Heater

The pipes in your basement are especially susceptible to cold temperatures. If they get too cold, they could freeze or burst, which could cause basement flooding and damage. Copper pipes, which are commonly used for furnaces and water heaters, are especially prone to freezing. To protect your pipes, wrap them in insulation made especially for pipes. You can purchase a special water heater insulation blanket to wrap around your entire water heater.

Pipes that are outside and exposed to cold weather are even more prone to freezing than the pipes in your basement. You should also insulate any exposed pipes and outdoor faucets.

Prepare Your Air Conditioning System

Before temperatures drop considerably, drain the water out of your air conditioner. These pipes can also freeze, causing damage to your home. In fact, you should drain any pipes that aren’t used in the winter. If these appliances have a water shut-off valve, turn the water off completely. If you need help finding your water shut-off valve, contact us, a professional East Meadow plumber.

Use Your Heater to Protect Your Pipes

If it is extremely cold outside, you can use your heater to help prevent your pipes from freezing. Even when you aren’t home, you should keep your heater on and your home at around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This will keep the air around your indoor pipes warm, which will make it nearly impossible for the water in them to freeze. To make sure this method works correctly, ensure that you don’t have any drafts in your home.

Clean Your Drain

It is very important that you have your drains professionally cleaned before winter sets in. If you are looking for a plumber in East Meadow, or a Nassau County plumber, to clean your drains, we can help. Standing water freezes much more quickly than running water. If there is any standing liquid in your drains and connecting pipes, it is in danger of freezing.

Prepare your Septic System and Repair Leaks

When water freezes, it expands, which is what causes burst pipes. Since your septic tank always has water in it, keep it at a lower level in the winter so it has room to expand without causing damage.

Lastly, make sure you don’t have any leaky pipes in your home. Even small leaks can cause freezing and escalate to extensive damage. We are a professional Nassau County plumber that offers leak detection and repair services, so call us today for help fixing your pipes.

Preparing your home’s plumbing for winter is an important way to prevent damage and high repair costs. If you need assistance, please contact us. Our professional plumbers are ready to help.