Barrie experiences very dull winter weather with extremely low temperatures and the snow and ice look very stunning, but they I very dangerous for your plumbing system. One of winter’s most prevalent complaints that the homeowners are likely to experience is the freezing of pipes. Water freezes and expands, which can lead to pipes bursting and significant water damage its resulting problems of costly repair and time-consuming inconvenience. Fortunately, if antecedent precautions and maintenance are put in place, you can avert the problem of frozen pipes. These are some important considerations to prevent freezing of your pipes and maintaining the heath of your plumbing system throughout the cold season of Barrie. If you ever come across a problem of frozen pipes, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from a professional plumber Barrie that will ensure you rectify the problem in the right manner.
- Insulate Your Pipes
It is so said because there are a number of elements to assess when trying to avoid pipes from freezing and the first one on this list is insulation. Remember pipes in the areas like basements, attics, garages and crawl spaces are most liable to freeze. To protect these pipes from freezing it important to wrap them with foam sleeves or fiberglass insulation.
Tip: These areas include the spaces close to the outer walls as cold tends to penetrate through pipe surfaces that are located at exterior walls. If you are not sure about where to insulate, it is possible to consult a plumber Barrie that will suggest us what should be done.
- Seal Gaps and Cracks
Cold air can find its way through the vents and directly into your home especially through the crevices round the windows, the doorways or even at the points where the pipes penetrate the structure. These gaps might significantly affect temperatures in your walls or crawl space leading to frozen pipes. They can be sealed up tight with caulk, foam, or weather stripping to ensure that this does not happen and that your pipes remain warm.
Tip: Please don’t forget to take a look at the areas near the vents, ducts, and windows. Sealing them will also enhance the energy efficiency of your home inasmuch as it prevents the warm air from getting outside.
- Keep the Heat On
If you intend to be out of your house during the winter season, then ensure that the heat is on no matter the low temperatures it produces. I found one weakness in a built-in system, especially in that it does not protect from sharp temperature fluctuations, which freezes the pipes that heat the building with electricity. If you are not at home, it is recommended that you should not let your home temperature fall below twelve degrees Celsius, fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit to prevent your pipes from freezing.
Tip: It is recommended to have one of your neighbors or a friend who you are close with, drop by your house every now and then to turn up the heat in situations where you are out of the house for quite some time.
- Let Faucets Drip
If you think there is a chance of a cold front moving into Barrie, running the water gradually from a faucet can prevent pipes from freezing. Because you let the water to pass through the pipes in a controlled rate, you prevent pressure build up which cause pipes to burst. Although one can never be completely safe during very low temperatures this can provide some level of protection during such harsh conditions.
Tip: Turn on the tap in the areas that pipes are fixed to the outer walls or areas that are cold. The slow and steady process is much better than rushing and getting a flood or a broken pipeline next time.
- Open Cabinet Doors
Hoses under sinks counter and inside closets are particularly susceptible to freezing specially when they are along external walls. The advice includes opening the kitchen or bathroom cabinet doors in order to allow warm air to reach pipes and thereby decrease the risk of freezing.
Tip: If you have sinks or pipes under counting’s which are in exterior walls, then you should leave the doors of the cabinet opened at night or whenever it becomes too cold.
- Use Heating Tape
There is an effective method for protecting especially sensitive pipes: heating tape. These one you can wrap around the pipe as it warms the pipe using heat from the electrical tape. Heating tape is most suitable for those sections that cannot be effectively insulated or for pipes that experience very low temperatures.
Tip: Heating tapes should always be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines and they should never be used on pipes that contain signs that it is freezing. A plumber in Barrie can help in avoiding risks in installing the heating tape for the best protection.
- Understand the Symptoms of frozen pipes
However, if you think that pipe has frozen chances are high that it needs immediate attention. There are some symptoms that suggest the damage has been done: You’re getting less water than you used to, or there’s less pressure than before, or you smell something odd from the tap. If you see any of these signs, it is advisable to shut off the water supply to avoid high chances of bursting pipe.
Tip: If you come across a frozen pipe, you need to thaw it gradually using a hairdryer, a space heater or warm towels. Never use an open flame. If you are not sure or the pipe seems even too complicated to thaw, then it is advisable to call the plumber Barrie.
Conclusion
Winter is not a friend to pipes especially in Barrie, but with proper measures towards preventing your pipes from freezing, you won’t have any problems. One could ensure that the pipes are insulated properly and there are no cracks to some extent so as to minimize the chance of a pipe freezing and therefore causing pipes to burst, and major damages. If one does not know how to winterize your plumbing, then it is considerate to hire a plumber Barrie who understands the problem and assist one in handling it during the frozen phase. Proactive measures at this moment will help to prevent many troubles and expensive operations in the future.