Winter is especially rough on your indoor and outdoor plumbing, but there’s a lot you can do to make sure you don’t have any unexpected and costly damages. The best way to avoid winter plumbing issues is to begin by addressing the following:
Insulating Indoor and Outdoor Pipes
This is one winter prep activity that most homeowners can easily do on their own. As one of the most basic preventative measures, you’re likely able to insulate all of your pipes without needing to call a professional.
The most important part of the insulation process is locating all of the exposed pipes in your home. Many homes in our area are built on a crawl space which typically contains many pipes susceptible to freezing. Two other areas to closely inspect are your garage and attic. By insulating exposed pipes in any of these areas you can cut back on your energy bill and help to conserve your home’s heat.
Find and Fix Leaks
Now is the time to search for leaks around your home and fix them quickly before the bitter cold weather hits. This may seem like a simple task at first, however, some leaks are much more tricky to detect than you might expect. A professional plumber who is an expert at leak detection locates leaks with special electronic leak detection equipment.
Drain and Insulate your Hot Water Heater
If you like many other homeowners live in an area susceptible to hard water, consider draining your hot water heater to prevent sediments from building up in the tank. This will stop them accidentally filtering into the water you use to drink and cook.
When winter weather is in full effect, you can also invest in a Hot Water Heater blanket which will lengthen the life of your unit and help lower energy costs.
Sprinkler System Winterization
Get your plumbing ready for winter and help prevent your sprinkler system pipes from freezing up during a cold blast by shutting everything off and fully draining the pipes of any water. You can either attempt this yourself or call an Action Plumbing expert to be absolutely sure your pipes clear by using a method that involves forced air.
If you have any questions on how to winterize your home this winter season, give our experts at Action Plumbing plumbing a call today. We’re available 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week.