Tips on Protecting Your Piped from Freezing Up

3/15/2023 (Permalink)

As autumn descends into winter, temperatures really begin to plummet, and storms become more frequent. Before it gets too cold to take precautions, now is the time to prepare. SERVPRO of Atascadero/ Paso Robles has a few tips to prevent your pipes from freezing—these important tips can help you prevent water damage from harming your home or business.

How to Protect Pipes from Freezing

• Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines.
• Drain and bring all your outdoor hoses to inside storage (garage, shed, etc.).
• Close all valves that supply outdoor hose bibs.
• Insulate your attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Insulation will keep these areas warmer.
• Sometimes water supply lines are in unheated areas. Check garages and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. All pipes in these areas should be insulated/wrapped.
• Consider installing pipe sleeves or installing heat tape on exposed water pipes. Even something as simple as newspaper can provide some protection to exposed pipes, at just ¼” thickness.
• Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

• If there are any water supply lines in the garage, keep garage doors closed.
• To allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing, open kitchen, and bathroom cabinet doors.
• When it’s EXTREMELY cold outside, let water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running even the smallest trickle of water helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Set thermostat to the same temperature 24/7. You might end up with a higher heating bill, but by temporarily ceasing lower nighttime temperatures, you could prevent a much more expensive repair job if pipes freeze and burst.