Now that fall has arrived in Twin Falls; it is time to get your house ready for the coming winter months. Protecting your pipes from the hard effects of freezing weather is an important part of getting ready for winter. Broken pipes caused by freezing can cost a lot to fix and cause water damage.
Here are the steps you need to take to keep your pipes safe and your water running this winter. Get help from reputable plumbing services in Twin Falls if you need help getting your plumbing ready for winter or if you are having plumbing problems.
Disconnect and protect exposed lines.
Take care of your outdoor equipment before the first frost hits Twin Falls. Take all of the hoses off of the taps. Remember that when water freezes, it expands.
The expansion inside a hose can put stress on your taps and pipes that are connected to them, which could cause them to burst. Once the hoses are removed, let any water that is still in them run out. Keep them somewhere that will not get frosty, like your garage or basement.
Find the valve inside your house that controls the flow of water to taps outside. Close this valve all the way. Remember to open the outside faucet to get rid of any water that is still inside.
For extra safety against the weather, you might want to put heated tap covers. These covers protect your taps from the coldest winter weather by acting as a barrier.
Insulate pipes that are vulnerable.
Next, protect the pipes in parts of your home that are not warm. Basements, crawl spaces, and attics are some of these places that are more likely to freeze. Wrap pipe insulation bands around pipes that are not hidden.
You can easily find these sleeves at tool shops. They come in different sizes to fit pipes with different widths. The sleeves add an extra layer of warmth, which keeps the pipes from getting too cold.
For extra safety, you might want to use heat tape along with pipe insulation. When put in, heat tape is a flexible electrical wire that makes heat. Make sure there are no holes in the heat tape as you wrap it around the insulation lines.
Use electrical tape to hold the heat tape in place so it does not come apart. When putting up heat tape, make sure you carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions.
Maintain a consistent indoor temperature to keep the warmth flowing.
Keeping your home at a steady, slightly warm temperature is a very important part of keeping pipes from freezing. Even when you are not home for long, make sure the setting stays at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
This helps the air move around and keeps cold spots from forming around the pipes. If your heating is split into zones, make sure that all the places where the lines go are kept at a comfortable temperature.
Monitor regularly and address any leaks.
Check your water system often, especially when it is cold outside. Check to see if there are any leaks or frozen pipes. Cracked or swollen pipes, low water flow, and strange noises coming from the pipes are all common signs of a frozen pipe.
Do not use a torch to try to thaw a pipe that you think is frozen. Instead, safety handles the situation by cutting off the water to the place in question and calling a qualified plumber.
It is very important to fix any leaks you find before winter comes. Cold air can get in through leaks, which can cause lines to freeze.
Fill in any gaps around your windows, doors, and any holes where pipes enter your home with caulk or weather stripping. This easy step helps keep the cold air outside and the warm air inside.
If you do preventative maintenance and properly winterize your plumbing system, the pipes will not freeze during the winter. This will let you enjoy the beauty of Twin Falls without thinking about plumbing problems.