The winter months are here, and that means it’s time to start worrying about keeping your pipes from freezing. If you live in a place where the temperatures regularly dip below freezing, this can be a real concern for homeowners—but there are ways to make sure you’re protected from frozen pipes.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the most effective methods of keeping your pipes from freezing. We’ll also talk about what to do if they freeze and when to call a professional plumber in Clermont, FL, for a repiping solution.
Let’s get started!
Is your home most likely to have frozen pipes?
The answer is most likely yes.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, your home is most likely to have frozen pipes during winter, when temperatures drop below freezing outside, and you turn on your thermostat to keep your house warm. As heat rises, it moves away from the ground, so if there’s any moisture in your home—like from a leaking pipe or a burst water heater—you risk freezing pipes that are close to the floor.
Not only does this happen more often with older homes (or those with poor insulation), but it can also occur if you live in a climate where temperatures regularly drop below freezing during winter.
If you notice signs of frozen pipes (like water dripping from joints), don’t wait until it’s too late! Call a plumber for professional repiping services in Clermont, FL.
What happens when you have frozen pipes?
Frozen pipes are a problem. They’re inconvenient, expensive, and can lead to major problems in your home or business. Luckily, you have options!
Here are a few things that can happen when you have frozen pipes:
Burst Pipes
When the water in your pipes freezes, it expands, causing the pipe to burst. If you’re lucky enough to hear a loud bang when this happens, call an expert immediately—the damage could be much worse than you think!
No Water Flow
If the water freezes in your pipes and you don’t hear any loud noises, you may have no water flow. This is not as bad as burst pipes, but it can be inconvenient and expensive to fix because of the damage caused by freezing water.
Mold Growth
Mold growth is the result of moisture, and excess moisture means mold growth is likely. If you don’t take care of the issue before it spreads, you could be looking at an expensive mold remediation process or even a lawsuit from someone who got sick from exposure to mold spores in their home or workplace.
Damage to Appliances
If your plumbing system freezes, it can cause severe damage to your appliances. This includes dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets. If you want to protect yourself from water damage caused by frozen pipes, you should consider purchasing a water heater blanket.
High Water Bills
When your pipes freeze, they can burst and cause water damage. This can lead to high water bills because you’ll need to replace your plumbing system, which means more money out of your pocket.
How to thaw frozen pipes?
Frozen pipes are a pain in the butt. But you’re not going to let a frozen pipe beat you! We’ve got your back with these four easy steps to thawing out frozen pipes:
Open the faucet
Remember: You have to open the faucet before you apply heat, or else you’ll end up with a spray of frozen liquid coming out at you!
Apply heat
Apply heat to the frozen section of the pipe. You can use a hair dryer, heat lamp, space heater, or electric heating pad. Start at the end of the pipe closest to the faucet and work your way back toward the frozen area. Avoid using an open flame to thaw the pipes, as this can be dangerous.
Keep applying heat
Continue applying heat until the water flows freely from the faucet. Based on the severity of the freeze, you may need to do this for several minutes or even hours.
Pipe Maintenance Tips from Your Clermont Plumbers
Frozen pipes are the worst, especially if you have to thaw them out—and make sure they don’t freeze again. We know how frustrating it can be to deal with frozen pipes and how difficult it can be to prevent them from happening again. That’s why we’ve compiled our top tips for preventing frozen pipes in Clermont.
Insulate your pipes
Wondering “how to keep pipes from freezing?”. Well. Pipes that aren’t insulated will freeze faster and more easily than insulated ones. If you don’t want to cover all of your pipes, you can insulate just those that are most exposed to the elements or are more likely to freeze—like those on an exterior wall or those in a crawl space under a house.
Ventilate your crawl spaces.
Crawl spaces need ventilation year-round, especially during cold weather when heaters are on all day. Make sure there is plenty of airflow through vents in the floor or walls so that warm air doesn’t build up inside the crawl space and cause ice dams (when water freezes at the top of a roof).
Avoid cold water.
Running cold water is no joke! It can really damage your pipes, so try to avoid it as much as possible.
Keep your house warm.
Warm air is less dense than cold air, so if you have any rooms with windows that don’t have curtains or blinds, consider closing them off in order to keep the heat inside where it belongs.
Run a constant stream of water.
Water expands when it freezes, which can cause cracks in the pipes themselves—and that means leakage! So always keep a small stream of water running in order to learn how to prevent pipes from freezing. If you’re worried about wasting too much water, consider using a bucket or another container instead of letting it run down the drain (or toilet!).
Drain your pipes regularly
If you have a sump pump or an outside drain line, make sure it’s clear of any debris that could clog up the system and cause frozen pipes by draining it regularly. This is especially important if you live in an area where heavy snowfall is common—the buildup of snow can block drains and cause freezing temperatures inside your home.
Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees f or above
The optimal temperature for your water heater should be around 120 degrees Fahrenheit so that when it does start to cool down over time due to normal use (which will happen eventually), it won’t fall below freezing before you get back from work/school/etc., causing problems with your heating system throughout the rest of the day (and potentially beyond).
Seal leaks
If you have a leaky pipe in your home—and let’s face it, who doesn’t?—you need to make sure that you seal it up as quickly as possible. Leaks can be dangerous and expensive to fix if they go unchecked for too long. You can check out our article here on how to identify leaks in your home and what steps you should take next.
Drip faucets
If your water isn’t coming out fast enough, it may freeze before it reaches the drain, which means you could end up with a clog and other problems down the line. To prevent this from happening, check your faucets for drips every month or so. If one is dripping, turn off the water or close off its valve until it’s fixed by a plumber in Clermont, FL.
De-ice outside pipes
The temperature difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures is another major cause of frozen pipes, so ensure that all areas where water lines enter or exit your home are de-iced before winter hits so they don’t freeze over!
Check for damage
If there is visible damage on any of your outside pipes (such as cracking), contact a professional immediately; this could lead to further damage down the road if left unattended!
Disconnect hoses
When learning how to take care of pipes in winter, one of the most important things to do is disconnect any outside faucets or hoses you don’t need during the colder months. This helps prevent any leaks that could cause damage to your home and make it easier for you to find leaks when they occur. In addition, if there is no water running through these lines, then they won’t freeze as easily either!
Get a Permanent Solution to Frozen Pipe from Professional Plumbers in Clermont!
Frozen pipes are a pain in the neck.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a homeowner, a business owner, or an apartment dweller—you never know when a pipe is going to freeze and cause trouble for your home or business. The good news is that a professional plumber in Clermont can help!
Ark Plumbing Service is here to help with all of your frozen pipe needs. We’re experts at repiping homes throughout the area, so we know what we’re doing when it comes to making sure that your plumbing is done right the first time—and every time after that.
We also offer repiping services in Clermont that will get rid of those pesky leaks forever and provide you peace of mind that your pipes won’t freeze again anytime soon.
Our plumbing services include:
– Repiping Services in Clermont
– Frozen Pipe Repair in Clermont
– Sewer Line Repair in Clermont
Our plumbers have extensive experience with repiping services and can quickly assess your situation and provide recommendations based on your needs.
In fact, we want you to know that there is a way to prevent them from happening again—and it doesn’t involve spending more money on heating bills or buying new appliances!
In fact, our expert plumbers can help you get rid of your frozen pipes forever by installing a repiping system in your home! A repiping system uses durable PVC piping instead of traditional galvanized steel piping and includes insulation that helps keep water inside your pipes at a consistent temperature year-round. This means no more cold showers or running toilets during winter months!
The best part? Repiping costs less than repairing individual pipe leaks and can drastically reduce water usage as well.
So if you’ve got frozen pipes in Clermont or anywhere nearby and looking for reliable Repiping Services in Clermont? Give us a call at (352) 988-4440.