Winterizing Your Plumbing

Winter is Coming! Is Your Plumbing Ready?

Winter! The very word induces a shiver in even the hardiest individuals. Preparing your home, particularly your plumbing, for the approaching winter season is extremely important. Anyone who has ever experienced frozen pipes knows that the situation is a real inconvenience. Worse yet, frozen plumbing can lead to water line breaks which can result in costly water damage to your home. While plumbing winterization should be a priority, how you winterize your plumbing depends on where you live.

Across the northern tier of states, cold weather can begin as early as October and last until May. With daily temperatures remaining below freezing most of that time, plumbing in these annual cold weather areas is routinely protected by insulation and/or heat wrap, an electrical tape that warms the pipes to keep them from freezing.

This is not the case in the warmer southern states. The occasional dip below freezing usually doesn’t last long enough to warrant permanent solutions to the problem of frozen plumbing. Central Texas is a perfect case in point. With average winter temperatures ranging from the forties at night to daytime highs in the fifties and low sixties, there is little chance of this cooler weather having an effect on plumbing. The danger comes in the sudden cold snap that can drop temperatures 20 to 30 degrees, plunging cities like Austin to below freezing in a matter of hours. It is then that unprotected plumbing in attics, crawl spaces, and exterior walls is at risk.

Be Plumbing Protection Savvy – Get Ready Now

Don’t wait until cold weather has caused a plumbing problem. A few simple steps now can save you from a costly, complicated repair later. Outdoors, wrap all exposed faucets and pipes with insulation designed for exterior plumbing. This step will not only protect your outdoor plumbing, it will also help prevent cold air entry into your home.

Indoors, allow hot water faucets to drip when temperatures drop below freezing for more than a day or two. Hot water plumbing freezes sooner than cold water plumbing. Called the Mpemba effect, this phenomenon is believed to occur as a result of the expanded molecules and reduced impurities in heated water. Allowing the movement of water through hot water plumbing reduces the risk of freezing and relieves air pressure within the pipes that could lead to bursting. Open cabinet doors to allow heat to circulate, thus eliminating trapped cold air that can cause plumbing to freeze. If you should have a pipe freeze in spite of all your efforts, turn the faucet on to prevent pressure build-up until the water starts flowing again. If the frozen pipe is accessible and still intact, directing hot air from a heater or hair dryer may help to melt the frozen water.

If you are planning a winter trip, be sensible about turning your heat down. While significantly lowering your indoor temperature or turning off the heat completely may seem like a money-saving idea, it can cause serious problems if cold weather strikes. Set your thermostat at 55 – 60 degrees to be safe. Draining your plumbing before a trip is also a valuable safety precaution against the onset of below-freezing weather while you’re away.

Who To Call If You Need Help With Your Plumbing Protection

These simple precautions can take the punch out of a surprise attack on your plumbing by cold winter weather. Most are easy, do-it-yourself projects that will help protect you from the more expensive consequences of a plumbing freeze. If you need help preparing for winter weather or you find that winter has won and you need plumbing repair, Casa Mechnaical Services is always ready to help.

Based in Austin, Casa Mechanical has been serving residents throughout central Texas since 2001. All of our plumbing specialists are licensed with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Casa Mechanical performs complete background checks on all of our plumbers to ensure safe, reliable service to all of our customers. Our plumbers are not paid on commission, a guarantee that each job will be given the attention it deserves. To stay abreast of modern technology and the ever-changing standards and regulations of the plumbing industry, Casa Mechanical plumbers routinely attend continuing education programs and specialized training courses. We treat your home as we would our own and are always careful to use protective measures, like shoe covers and drop cloths, to eliminate any mess.

With over 100 years of combined experience, the plumbing experts at Casa Mechanical are able to provide our customers with exceptional service at reasonable prices. Contact us today to discuss a winterization plan designed specifically for you.