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Winter Is Coming: Plumbing Edition

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As winter approaches each year, there are a lot of things to look forward to. The holiday season brings fun with family and friends, and you'll have the chance to make new memories with the people you love the most. Whether you love skiing and snowboarding or you can't wait to have a snowball fight with your kids, you don't have to wait much longer since winter is coming!

However, winter also comes with a specific set of challenges. Snow and cold weather bring plenty of opportunities for fun, but you also need to make sure that the plumbing in your home is ready before the cold weather rolls in. Frozen pipes can burst and cause a tremendous amount of damage, but you can reduce your risk by taking the following precautions.

Head Outdoors

You can start the process of winterizing your plumbing by heading outside. Disconnect all of your exterior hoses, and drain them before you put them away for the winter. If you leave your pipes attached during the winter, they can freeze with water still inside them. This could cause your exterior faucets and pipes to burst. It's best to store your hoses inside to keep them from freezing. If possible, shut off your outside faucets completely for the winter so they won't be accidentally turned on.

Use a piece of cardboard or some extra insulation to protect your exterior water meter from freezing. Finally, make sure that your sprinkler system is turned off, and drain any water that is currently in the system.

Seal Cracks

Next, you can protect your pipes by carefully checking for any cracks or small openings near your doors and windows. Cold wind can enter your house through these areas, and this increases your risk of exposed pipes freezing and causing big problems. Most small issues can be corrected with a little caulk or insulation.

Add Insulation

Adding insulation is one of the most important things you can do to protect your plumbing system this winter. You need to be especially careful to insulate pipes that are located in areas that are not heated, such as your attic or basement. Pick up pipe insulation material from almost any hardware or home improvement store, and simply use this insulation to wrap your pipes.

In addition, it's important to insulate any of your outside walls that contain water pipes. You can also keep your home at a more steady and comfortable temperature by closing off any crawl spaces or other open areas.

Stay Prepared

Even after you've prepared your plumbing for winter, it's important to stay prepared for cold weather. Don't turn off your heat when temperatures are expected to be below freezing, even if you are going out of town. If you do need to travel, shut off the main water valve to reduce the risk of a plumbing emergency.

If your pipes have frozen in the past, you can keep the water moving by allowing a small amount of cold water to continue to flow through the pipes when the weather is extremely chilly.

By taking a small amount of time to prepare now, you can avoid many of the most common plumbing problems this winter. This means you'll get to spend more time enjoying the season and less time dealing with plumbing issues!

Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Boulder plumbing repair.

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