Winter Plumbing Tips

Now that winter is right around the corner, you’ll want to begin taking steps to protect your home against the cold temperatures and the harsh elements that the season is known for. This includes taking preventative action and performing maintenance on your home’s plumbing system in order to avoid any serious problems from developing over the course of the winter. The following are six winter plumbing tips that you should follow:

  1. Protect your pipes – One of the most serious problems your plumbing can experience during the winter is frozen pipes. When pipes freeze over, they’re more likely to burst, which can result in flooding that can cause some serious water damage to your home’s structure and to your possessions. To prevent your pipes from freezing over, insulate them by having them wrapped in foam.
  2. Fix all leaks – Make sure that there aren’t any leaks in your home by checking all of the faucets in your bathrooms and kitchen. Check for leaks in any exposed pipes as well and be on the lookout for water damage that could signal a leak in the pipes hidden in your walls. If you spot any leaks, schedule a plumber right away.
  3. Have your hot water heater inspected – The last thing you want is to suddenly be without hot water in the middle of winter. Have a professional plumber drain and inspect your hot water heater to ensure that there are no issues. If there are, you’ll want to have your hot water repaired or replaced before it gets too cold outside.
  4. Clean the sump pump pit – Because your sump pump can freeze if it’s exposed to cold weather, you’ll want to clean the sump pump pit out. You should also inspect the sump pump itself to make sure that it’s in working order. If the sump pump doesn’t work as it should, water could end up flooding your basement during a winter rainstorm, resulting in serious water damage.
  5. Close the drain shut-off valves that lead outdoors – Water that remains in the outside lines can freeze during cold weather, thereby causing major damage to the pipes. To prevent this from happening, close any interior shut off valves that lead to your outdoor faucets and make sure that you drain the water from your outside lines.
  6. Store your outdoor hose – As the temperatures begin to drop, you should disconnect your hose, wrap it up and bring it inside. Leaving your hose outside during the winter is a big mistake because any water that remains inside of the hose can freeze. When it freezes, it will expand, causing the hose to break and potentially causing your faucets and connecting pipes to freeze as well.

These are six plumbing tips that you should follow to prepare your plumbing system for the upcoming winter season. To have your home’s plumbing system inspected by a professional plumber, be sure to contact us at Stang Plumbing & Heating to schedule an appointment in the Maryland area today.

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