Winter is perhaps the toughest season your plumbing system must endure. With careful preparations, however, you don’t have to worry about surviving winter. Here are a few simple plumbing tips you can apply in order to prepare your house for winter.
Take Care of Leaks Immediately
One of the first things you need to do when winter is just around the corner is fixing the leaks immediately. Get in touch with a good plumbing service and start checking for leaks and cracks throughout the system. Companies such as http://matplumbing.com are very easy to reach, so you should have no trouble at all getting the leaks fixed before winter starts.
Leaks, paired with the drop in temperature, could turn into some serious problems really quickly. Instead of waiting for the problems to get worse, it is much better to get them fixed immediately.
Protect Pipes from Freezing
You can protect exposed pipes from freezing by installing insulation materials to cover them. A thick foam tube is a good start. You can get it from almost every hardware store and install the foam tube relatively easily.
A pipe that is not insulated could burst at any time. This is because the water inside the pipe expands when frozen, causing the pipe to crack and eventually burst open as the temperature drops further and further. When you can spot the issue quickly, a bursting pipe is relatively easy to handle. When the problem is hidden or you happen to be traveling during the winter, however, this seemingly simple problem can turn into a very serious one. You may end up with a massive flood or even structural damage.
When you have a professional plumber assisting you with the winter preparations, you can also install a better insulation material and eliminate exposed pipes entirely. Since you are getting the insulation material from your plumber, you can expect to get discounts and better pricing for it.
Drain Pipes To and From Your Water Heater
Depending on the kind of water heater you use, you need to drain the pipes connected to the system before winter starts. You should also check if the system uses a tank to store hot water; if it does, be sure to drain the tank as well. The difference in temperature could lead to cracking pipes and severe leaks.
Draining the water heater before winter will also help prevent rust from developing throughout the system. This is something you should do regularly, ideally every three to six months.
Check Your Pumps and Filters
The drop in temperature can cause a lot of problems with pumps, especially if you have a rather old sump pump pit. Checking filters and screens for particles that may cause blockages is also a good preparation task to complete before winter. When warm, small particles trapped by the filter may not be a problem. Drop the temperature, however, and the particles can be the catalyst needed for the water to freeze and cause severe problems. Again, consult your plumber and have the team do a thorough check before the season starts.