Frozen Pipes

12/18/2017 (Permalink)

When the pipes freeze

Pipes can freeze and eventually burst in below freezing temperatures. Water has a unique property of expanding as it freezes causing pipes to crack and then burst. The ensuing rush of water can cause considerable damage to your property if not addressed quickly.  SERVPRO of Midland TX is faster to any size disaster, bringing the latest equipment and training to help make your water damage "Like it never even happened."
 
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Take a few simple steps now to prevent suffering and grief down the road.

• Inspect outdoor faucets. Now.  Find the indoor shut off valve for the outdoor faucet in basement or crawl space and shut it off. Then open the outdoor faucet to help ensure it relieves pressure and drains completely.
• Second, make sure that your heating system is checked regularly. Also, inspect the insulation on all of your plumbing as well as your cold water tank. Units located in the attic and other vulnerable locations should be protected with insulated sleeves. 
• During severe cold snaps, open cabinets where pipes are located so warm air can circulate.
• Third, keep your heat on throughout the winter months. During harsh, cold months, the chances of your pipes freezing get greater as the temperature plummets. 
• Clean your gutters so melting snow and ice can flow freely
• Turn on your faucets and allow them to drip slowly. Moving water will prevent freezing.
• Open cabinet doors below sinks. It will help allow warm air to circulate.
• Drain your water system if you’re away for an extended time.
• Disconnect all gardening hoses and install covers on all outside faucets.
• Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or with heating tape.
• Close all windows near water pipes; cover or close open-air vents. Freezing temperatures combined with wind drafts can cause pipes to freeze more frequently.
• Heat your basement and consider weather sealing your windows.
• Insulate outside walls and unheated areas of your home.
• Identify the location of the main water valve. SERVPRO of Midland TEXAS can

Monitor Freezing Pipe Conditions

• Allow a faucet to drip slightly (lukewarm water) in order to minimize freezing.
• The first sign of freezing is reduced water flow from a faucet.
• Check your faucets for water flow and pressure before you go to sleep and again when you wake up.
• Check pipes around your water meter, in unheated areas, near exterior walls and in crawl spaces.
• Identify cold air drafts coming in from a flute or chimney chase and caulk gaps that are near pipes.

If a Pipe Freezes

• If a faucet or pipe inside your house freezes, you can thaw it using a good hair dryer. (For safety purposes, avoid operating a hair dryer around standing water.)
• To thaw a frozen pipe, heat water on the stove, soak towels in the hot water and wrap them around cold sections of the pipes.