Frozen pipes are a hassle because they can lead to bursting and flooding in your home. This is why it’s always important to check for leaks and drips before the winter season starts, so you can avoid any unnecessary drama (or costly repairs).
Higher Risk Areas for Freezing:
- Exposed pipes in unheated areas of home (attics, crawl spaces, garages)
- Pipes in exterior walls
- Any exterior plumbing
There are a few things you can do to help prevent your pipes from freezing this winter:
- Make sure outdoor hoses are shut off and drained of excess water. Frozen hoses can lead to bursts in pipes indoors.
- Invest in inexpensive foam pipe insulation or heat tape.
- Drip your faucets –set your kitchen and bathroom faucets to drip both hot and cold water (set single lever faucets in the center) to keep water moving through the pipes. This also helps relieve any built up pressure in pipes if they should freeze.
- Open your cabinets – if your kitchen or bathroom cabinets are located on exterior walls, open the cabinet doors to allow indoor heat to circulate to the pipes.
