The best way to avoid or lessen winter plumbing problems is to have professional plumbers inspect your system before the cold weather sets in. They’ll check your outdoor and indoor pipes and troubleshoot problems that might make them more vulnerable to cold weather. They’ll assess your water heater, your sump pump, and its backup generator, and make sure your emergency plumbing kit is up to date. Plumbers also check that your home is well-insulated, as a well-insulated home keeps water from freezing in your pipes. Still, winter plumbing problems do happen. Here are four of them.
1. Frozen or Burst Pipes
Water is essential to the running of your home, but during the winter, it can become problematic. Instead of shrinking like other fluids when it freezes, water expands. If frozen water expands, your pipes can burst. A burst pipe is a real emergency, and you’ll need to call in a plumber to take care of the issue. First, find the pipe’s shut-off valve and mop up the water.
However, if the pipe is just frozen, you can help to unfreeze it by wrapping heating tape around it or actually using your hairdryer to let it warm up slowly. Never use a flame to try to unfreeze your plumbing pipes. To prevent pipes from freezing in the first place, wrap them in inexpensive insulation, open a faucet so water drips from it, or open the under-sink cabinet doors to let warm air in.
2. Clogged Drains
If you’re like many homeowners, you’ll be using your plumbing more often over the holidays. This can cause clogs, and clogs can lead to drains that work slowly or even back up. Make sure that substances like fats, hair, and sanitary products don’t go down your drains or your toilet boil.
3. Leaky Faucets
Along with pipes bursting outright, winter can cause pipes to spring tiny holes or splits. Though this might not cause the dramatic flooding of a burst pipe, it costs money and can cause damage. Again, find the pipe’s shut-off valve and call a plumber.
4. Trouble With Your Water Heater
Winter stresses water heaters, and it is the season when the appliance is most likely to fail. Though you can replace some parts of a water heater, keep in mind that it usually only lasts for about 10 years. If your heater is old, it may be a good time to replace it before the worst of winter sets in.
Call Our Professionals For Your Plumbing Emergencies
If you have an emergency with your plumbing this winter, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. In fact, you should reach out to us well before any problem occurs so our professionals can help you avoid them in the first place. If a plumbing problem does occur don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at A Better Plumber in Waldorf, MD.
