Important Steps to Winterizing Your Plumbing

Tis the season to be jolly. But we doubt that jolly will be one of those adjectives that will describe you if you experience a flood or leak due to frozen pipes! Don’t wait until it happens to you. Be proactive and winterize your plumbing so you can continue being jolly for the rest of the season.

Why is Winterizing Important?

Proactively winterizing your plumbing is a critical way to avoid frozen pipes in the winter. When pipes freeze, they can burst and cause incredible damage to your home. Winterizing ensures that pipes, drain lines, fixtures, and faucets are protected against winter freezing.

The High Cost of Water Damage

One of the costliest damages that can happen to your home is the cost to repair a burst pipe and the damage it causes. According to State Farm Insurance, the average homeowner’s insurance claim for frozen pipes averages around $15,000 but can run far more in cleanup costs. If a pipe burst is easily accessible, a small emergency repair to a pipe can still cost several hundreds of dollars for a Philadelphia plumber. Conversely, the cost of averting a frozen pipe emergency is relatively negligible.

Keep Your Heating System Maintained

In the dead of winter, the last thing you want is for your furnace to break down. Call a professional Philadelphia HVAC repair company to ensure that your system is ready for winter.

Inside Winterizing

You should first know where your emergency shutoff valve is and know how to operate it. In the event of any burst, shutting off the main water source is your first line of defense and crucial to avoid costly water damage.

Pipes and faucets that are located in your unheated garage, in the basement or crawlspace of your home or any other unheated area should be insulated. This can be done with special insulation sleeves or special heat tape. All exposed pipes should be insulated, even those in hard to reach places. Don’t leave any gaps in the insulation. If you are not comfortable with doing this yourself, you should schedule the services of a Philadelphia plumber.

Another way to ensure that pipes don’t freeze in particularly harsh winter weather is to open kitchen and bathroom cabinet and pantry doors to allow warmer air access to areas that may be less insulated and harbor plumbing pipes. If you are leaving your home vacant for any period of time, make sure to leave the interior heat on and set it to about 60 degrees.

Outside Winterizing

Inspect the exterior of your home and seal any visible cracks with caulk or spray foam insulation. Make sure to disconnect any hoses and turn off water to outside outlets. Close any foundation or exterior vents.

Call an Expert

If you need help winterizing your home, call a professional. The Philadelphia plumbers at Affordable Fixes LLC will help ensure that your home will be safe from bursting pipes this winter and avoid costly water and flood damages in your home. Call us today for peace of mind.