Winter is a time when low temperatures can really test the structural integrity of your house and all the essential systems that run through it. Your plumbing is no exception to that rule, and the water running inside your pipes can easily freeze and break the pipes if they’re not properly taken care of.
The main danger here has to do with exposed pipes that aren’t heated in any way and hold stationary water under pressure. If you don’t use your water for an extended period, the built-up pressure, together with the freezing temperature, can irreparably damage your pipes leading to the need for costly repairs.
As such, it’s very important to use the best recommended measures in order to prepare your pipes and plumbing for the winter and prevent the freeze from causing too much damage.
Shut Off Outdoor Faucets When You Leave
A reputable Westminster plumber told us that one of the main ways to prepare your plumbing for the winter is to shut off any outdoor faucets before you leave your home for an extended period.
Outdoor faucets are in place to ensure that you can shut off the water for your entire home without messing with the water main or having to turn off the water main valve. The great advantage to turning off these outdoor faucets in the winter is that you can pretty much drain all the exposed and vulnerable pipes inside or around your home that aren’t underground. Since they have no water, there’s nothing to freeze and cause the pipes to expand burst because of the pressure.
Aside from turning off the faucets, you might also want to consider disconnecting any hoses that you might have around the garden. The water filled hoses will definitely freeze if they’re left outside in the cold, and the increased water pressure and decreased temperature can also influence the faucet and the water that still remains inside your outdoor fixtures and faucets that the hose might be attached to.
Upgrade to a Wireless Smart Thermostat
A basic thermostat might be great for controlling the temperature setting inside your home when you’re actually there. However, if you leave for a few days, there will be no way to know that there even is a problem, much less to adjust your thermostat remotely.
Advances in technology provide advanced, smart thermostats that can be adjusted remotely through your smartphone. They detect when the home is too cold, and can either be set to turn on automatically or to notify you, so you can increase the temperature remotely at short notice to prevent your pipes from freezing.
Installing Heat Cables
Finally, a great way to prepare your pipes for the winter is by installing heat cables. These cables are not that expensive, and the great thing about them is that they have an integrated thermostat that can sense when the temperature is too cold and adjust it automatically to keep your pipes from freezing and bursting.
This way you won’t have to heat the entire home to an exaggerated temperature just so that enough heat can reach a remote pipe and protect it from the cold.