The fluctuating temps we’ve experienced this winter can wreak havoc on our health and our building pipes. Neither are fun to deal with, and many who haven’t experienced bursting pipes are often caught off guard when it happens. The freezing and expanding and contracting action causes pipes to break and/or crack then water floods your building or home creating mayhem. There are simple preventive measures you can take to protect yourself from a leak and we share them with you below.
- Where your pipes are near or within an exterior wall, make sure there is adequate insulation. Depending on the age of your structure, you may need to add more even if it’s been adequate in the past.
- Fill holes such as gaps at the sill plate in the basement, or holes for cable ore electrical wires with expandable foam insulation. Also, apply weather stripping to doors and windows which can let in a draft.
- If you have living space over a garage, keep the garage door shut to avoid cold air exposure, and weather seal your garage door at the bottom.
- Don’t let your thermostat fall below 55 degrees if you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time. When you’re home, it’s best to maintain a regular temperature rather than fluctuating warm and cooler.
- Wrap exposed pipes with pipe insulation or heat tape, such as those in a basement, garage walls, or under sinks.
- When temperatures are expected to significantly plummet, expose pipes to more heat where you can by opening cabinet doors at night, or allow cold water to drop at the lowest frequency possible to keep a flow of water going overnight.
This is a simplified list of activities that can make a significant impact on your quality of life. We understand the imposition that flooded buildings create by forcing the mobilization of your life while the mess is cleaned up and repairs are made and we want to help you prevent that as much as we can. If you have any questions be sure to call us at 855-WOLGAST.
