You probably don't want to think about it, but if a pipe bursts in your home, the damage will be extensive... to say nothing about the damage to your bank account. So, how do you keep this from happening when it's cold outside? You can start by checking out these tips:
How to Prevent Your Pipes from Bursting This Winter
Insulate Exposed Pipes
If your home has any exposed pipes, then they're prone to freezing and bursting. Pick up some insulation immediately and either install it yourself or contact a professional for the job.
Start a Slow Drip
Water is susceptible to freezing when it stops moving. On extremely cold days, it's a good idea to start a slow drip on at least one sink to keep the water flowing and protect your pipes.
Raise the Temperature
Older homes, though, are often constructed on top of an uninsulated crawlspace, which can lead to frozen pipes. Raising the temperature on your thermostat will keep warm up the floor and crawlspace to prevent problems.
Employ a Space Heater
Space heaters are great for warming you up quickly, but many homeowners never think about using them to heat up their pipes. There's no need to use a unit's maximum setting, because you're only heating up a pipe, rather than an entire space.
Install a Heating Cable
Heating cables are very effective in preventing pipe bursts, and can be utilized in one of two ways — either by being wrapped around the pipe or tied alongside it with cable ties, then plugged into an electrical outlet.
Turn Off the Water
If you're still concerned with pipe bursts after reading through these helpful tips, then your best bet may be to simply take water out of the equation entirely. To do this, turn off the water whenever you're asleep or away from home. A burst may still happen, but the damage will be limited to a smaller area.
Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical has been serving the areas of South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz since 1962. Visit our website for more in-depth information on most HVAC topics, or just give us a call at (408) 868-5500.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).