Winterizing & De-Winterizing Pipes

Tell Frozen Pipes to Bite the Ice

Do you feel that frigid winter air? Well, your home’s pipes are affected by it, too.

Plus, they aren’t as resilient as you might think. In fact, pipes that are exposed to the extreme cold can freeze. If this happens, you’ll come face to face with the potential for serious property damage.

Luckily, you can bring your frozen pipe worries in from the cold by turning to Ray The Plumber. Our team will insulate your pipes for their protection—and yours. We’ll also show you how to best winterize your pipes and some other areas of your home to avoid possible disaster.

Don’t Go From Flowing to Frozen

Because the outside temperature frequently falls below water’s freezing point, frozen pipes are a big concern for homeowners in the winter.

A frozen pipe can prevent you from having access to running water in your home, which is a major inconvenience. But, more importantly, it can cause major damage to your property. That’s because water has the unique property of expanding as it freezes. So, when the water inside of your pipes expands, your pipes are under tremendous pressure, which can build up to the point that it causes the pipes to burst.

There are some pipes that are more vulnerable to freezing than others. They include:

Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, such as outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines and water sprinkler lines
Water supply pipes located in an unheated interior area, such as a basement, crawl space, attic, garage or kitchen cabinet
Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation

As you can see, it’s crucial you keep your pipes bundled up. Well, our team at Ray The Plumber can help by insulating your water pipes. But there are things you need to do, too!

Brace Yourself (and Your Pipes). Winter Is Coming!

Proper preparation prevents poor performance. It helps you avoid frozen pipes, too. Here’s how you can protect your pipes for the onset of colder weather before it arrives:

Disconnect your water hose from the outdoor spigot. Then, cover the spigot with a Styrofoam insulation cover. If you leave your water hose connected, it can freeze, expand and cause any indoor pipes that are connected to it to burst.
Shut off the water valves for outdoor spigots—if you have them—and drain water from your outdoor water lines.
Check outdoor faucets for drips and leaks. Address any repairs immediately.
Contact our team to insulate both your hot and cold water pipes. Keep in mind that this is essential for any pipes that are located in an unheated area of your home.

Winter Is Here! Now What?

You’ve prepared your pipes for the colder weather, but now it has arrived. Here’s what you can do to keep your pipes warm and your worries on ice:

Don’t let water sit in your pipes. Instead, make an effort to frequently run water through each of your home’s faucets, even if it’s just at a trickle. Keeping water moving through your pipes stops it from freezing.

Heat your entire home rather than just certain rooms. Allowing warm air to circulate through your home keeps your pipes warm. Also, if you go away, leave the heat on in your home and set it to no lower than 55 degrees.
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around your pipes.
Keep your garage door closed if there are water supply lines in your garage. This will help your home stay warmer, too.

Break the Ice by Contacting Us Today!

If you notice frost on your pipes, an odd smell or no water coming out of your faucet, then there’s a good chance it’s because of a frozen pipe. Follow these steps immediately:

Turn off water at the shutoff valve for the pipes in that area.
Leave the faucet on to relieve pressure as the pipes thaw.
Use a hair dryer or heat gun to slowly thaw frozen pipes.

However, if your frozen pipe bursts, shut off your water right away and contact us immediately.

From preparing your pipes for the colder weather to de-winterizing them, Ray The Plumber is here to help. Fill out our online form or call us at 1.877.CALL.RAY today!