Sub-freezing winter temperatures can be a menace to exposed water pipes and plumbing if you don’t follow a few basic maintenance rules. Whether the pipes lead to an outdoor spigot, are against an outside wall under your kitchen sink, in your garage, or run through a poorly insulated crawl space, a deep freeze can leave you in deep trouble. Frozen pipes and burst pipes, especially when you’re not at home to shut off water valves, can lead to significant damage. It’s essential to be aware of these risks and consider seeking burst pipe repairs promptly if you encounter such issues.
The Basics: Winterize your home plumbing in the fall to keep frozen pipes from bursting.
The first thing you want to do is shut off the water line leading to any outdoor spigots or other exterior water supplies. Once the water supply is turned off, make sure you do the following:
- Disconnect any hoses still attached to spigots on the exterior of your house
- Drain the spigots as well as your hoses. In the spring when water is turned back on, an ice jam in a hose can create enough pressure behind the jam to burst pipes
- Sprinkler lines: close valves feeding your irrigation system for the winter season and drain the lines completely.
- Shut off water lines feeding your pool and/or a pool house and make sure lines are drained completely.
- Turn off outdoor shower water lines and, again, drain the lines completely.
- IMPORTANT: Know where your main emergency water shut-off valve is in your home in case of a plumbing emergency.
Not sure where the shut off valves are in your home? Call Stashluk! During your next service visit we’ll put tags on your water supply valves so you know which ones to shut off for the winter season – and in case of emergency.
Once Water Valves are Shut Off, What’s Next?
After you’ve taken the proper steps to ensure that outside feeding water pipes have been shut off, don’t ignore the interior pipes you use every day for your hot and cold water.
Check for drafts and air leaks
Frozen pipes can be an awful surprise as you step into the shower on a cold winter morning. If no water comes out of the shower head or faucet, a frozen pipe is the likely cause. Be sure to check and make sure all windows in the basement are fully closed and any drafty crevices or cracks are properly sealed around the house. All it takes is a very cold draft to turn an inside pipe into a frozen pipe. If you are in an older home, make sure your storm windows are down. We often get calls for frozen pipes due to drafty basement windows.
An open garage can lead to frozen pipes
If you have water pipes running through your garage space, either exposed or in the walls or ceiling, a garage door that’s left open can quickly lead to a frozen pipe. If you’re only running out for a quick trip to the store, or to pick up the kids, don’t leave the garage door open until you return. Close it and keep the heat in.
Leaving your home for an extended winter trip? Follow these tips or call Stashluk to prevent frozen pipes.
No one ever wants to return from vacation only to find several feet of water in the basement because a frozen pipe burst. Make sure you turn off the water and set the thermostat to no lower than 65 degrees. It’s also a good idea to have a friend or relative check on your home each week you’re away to make sure nothing has gone wrong. You can also call a master licensed plumber such as Stashluk to drain your home plumbing completely so there’s no chance at all that your pipes will freeze.
DID YOU KNOW? Stashluk provides weekly home monitoring in Summit, NJ for our clients who leave town for the winter. Call 908.277.6200 for details!
Do not delay, call your Morris County plumber immediately if you have frozen pipes!
If you wake up one winter morning and discover one or more faucets in your home are not providing water, shut off your main water valve and call Stashluk plumbing professionals right away at 908.277.6200. We offer 24/7 emergency services for all types of plumbing and we’re experts at thawing frozen pipes before they burst.
