Tips for Preventing Burst Pipes from Frozen Water

What are the chances of your pipes freezing? The pipes in your home can freeze even in mild climates in the winter, potentially causing ruptures and water damage. For this reason, it is important to hire reliable technicians like The Irish Plumber who have extensive experience dealing with frozen pipes and preventing them from bursting. Discover what you need to know about preventing water damage in your home.  

15 Tips for Preventing Burst Pipes from Frozen Water

A frozen pipe that has not burst needs immediate attention. You can take these simple steps to prevent frozen water pipes from bursting by quickly thawing them.  

1. Disconnect the main valve of the house from the water supply.
2. All faucets in your house should be opened to reduce pressure in the pipes and drain water. 
3. Warm the plumbing system throughout the house by turning on the heat. 
4. If the pipe is frozen, use a space heater, hairdryer, or heating pad to thaw it out. 
5. Turn on the main water valve once the frozen pipe has thawed. Check the water pipes in every part of the house for leaks.
6. If there is a leak, turn off the main water valve and call a plumber. 
7. Wrap all exposed pipes with insulation materials like foam pipe insulation, fiberglass, or electric heat tape. 
8. Make sure the insulation materials are dry before using them. 
9. Seal any cracks or holes in the foundation or walls to prevent cold air from coming into contact with the pipes. 
10. Keep the doors and windows closed to keep warm air inside. 
11. Open cabinet doors to allow heat to reach pipes that run through unheated areas like garages or crawl spaces. 
12. Run a trickle of water from faucets connected to exposed pipes to keep water moving and prevent freezing. 
13. Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night to prevent thermal shock when the heat is turned on. 
14. If you’re going away for an extended period of time, have someone check on your house regularly to make sure the heat is working and there are no frozen pipes. 
15. If you live in an area with severe cold weather, consider installing a whole-house heater to keep your pipes from freezing. 

The Best Way to Prevent Pipes from Freezing

By preventing frozen pipes from forming in the first place, you can stop them from freezing and causing you future damage. There are some easy ways to keep the water in your pipes flowing, even in the coldest months of winter.  

• In the fall, before temperatures drop, remove garden hoses from spigots. They should be stored in a safe place until spring. 
• Use insulating covers over outdoor spigots to prevent freezing and tree branch damage. This will prevent damage due to falling ice chunks and tree branches.
• Make sure your outside water lines are drained. 
• Use insulating wrap on any exposed pipes in basements, garages, crawlspaces, or near exterior walls. 
• When the weather is extremely cold, let the indoor faucets drip. Particularly in cold areas of the house and close to exterior walls, this is essential.
• It’s never a good idea to turn off your heating system during the winter, even if you’ll be gone for some time.  

Advice and assistance provided by professionals

If you or a loved one have dealt with a frozen pipe bursting then you understand how catastrophic it can be for your home and your wallet if not taken care of quickly. Having the knowledge to prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting is critical for all homeowners, but it is incredibly important to have a professional you trust to assist you if anything like this does happen. Your local plumber will help you keep the risk of your pipes freezing minimal.