Cold winter temperatures can spell disaster for pipes and plumbing. Prevent them with these few easy steps!
5 Ways to Prevent a Winter Plumbing Nightmare
Follow these five tips to avoid a costly winter plumbing repair bill.
1. Insulate Your Pipes
Insulating tape or foam sleeves can be used to protect hot and cold water pipes. Inspect the pipes in unheated areas (attic, basement, etc) every few days to make sure there isn’t ice or frost.
2. Don’t All Hop in the Shower!
Holiday season means friends and families gathering together. Make sure there’s at least 10 minutes in between each shower to give your water heater enough time to recover.
3. Outdoor Hoses & Spigots
Drain residual water from hoses and spigots, and remove garden hoses before the cold weather arrives. Store your garden hoses in the garage or shed until the winter season has passed.
4. Food is for Your Mouth, Not Your Drain!
Fats, oil and grease make your food tasty. They are also horrible for your drain. It’s even worse when it’s cold, making it more likely that oily substance will clog your drain. Rice, and any food substance that expands with water, is also a bad idea to pour in the drain. Even a heavy-duty garbage disposal shouldn’t be used to grind hard to stringy substances.
See also: 4 Things You Put In Your Garbage Disposal That Destroys It
5. Let the Water Run
One of the easiest ways to prevent pipes from freezing is periodically letting water run from every valve. Run water from every valve throughout your house regularly to prevent them from freezing.
