How do you keep pipes from freezing?

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

There's nothing worse than taking a shower and then realizing that there's no hot water. Or worse, you may find yourself trying to take a shower in freezing cold conditions and discovering that the water from your faucet has turned into ice. While this isn't an everyday occurrence for most people, it does happen occasionally. In this article, we'll talk about how to keep your pipes from freezing so that your home stays warm during those cold winter months.

Insulate pipes and keep the heat turned up.

The best way to keep pipes from freezing is to insulate them and keep the heat turned up. Make sure you have enough insulation around your pipes, which means wrapping them in foam or fiberglass wool. You should also make sure that any air leaks are sealed up before winter hits so that heat doesn't escape through these cracks.

When it comes to keeping your home warm enough for your plumbing system, that means keeping an eye on things like drafts coming in from windows or doors; if you can feel cool air blowing against parts of your house, then it's time for some weatherstripping or caulking. If possible, try not leaving any gaps between window frames where cold air could get into the house. This will help prevent freezing temperatures from affecting those exposed pipes under the house.

Adequate insulation on the pipes in the crawl space.

If you have a crawlspace, make sure there's adequate insulation on the pipes in that space. If not, add some! Insulation should be at least 6 inches thick and cover all sides of the pipes.

exterior pipe insulation

If you have an exterior pipe, cover it with insulation. The best way to do this is with foam insulation. You'll want to make sure the foam isn't too thick or else it won't be able to keep the water flowing through your pipes warm enough. If this is an option for you, consider using a heat tape along with your new layer of protection so that no matter how cold outside gets (or how much snow piles up), there will be no need for concern about frozen pipes.

No Small Openings

To keep your pipes from freezing, you should make sure that there are no small openings for air to get in around your pipes, especially if you have underground pipes and pipes in unheated spaces like crawlspaces or attics.

You can insulate the entire length of any exposed pipe with insulation that's made for outdoor use. If possible, insulate the crawlspace under your house so that heat doesn't escape through those areas. This will help keep both hot water tanks and furnaces warm enough to avoid freezing temperatures inside them as well!

Don't Turn the Water On

If you have frozen pipes, don't turn on any water until SERVPRO has arrived. Turning on the faucet can cause a pipe to burst or crack and begin leaking immediately. If this happens, shut off the water and call us right away so that we can fix it before more damage occurs

Frozen pipes can be very dangerous to your home so take care to protect your home when it's cold out. If you have any questions about how to keep your pipes from freezing or if you have any other plumbing issues, contact SERVPRO today. We are here 24/7 and ready to help!