The temperatures in Omaha and Grand Island, NE, can get quite cold in the winter months. These temperatures can pose a risk to your residence’s plumbing system. With the right conditions, your pipes can freeze, impeding the normal flow of water through your plumbing system. Frozen pipes can also lead to a pipe bursting, which can cause devastation in your home. You can take care of your pipes in several ways in the winter, preventing water damage, structural issues, and malfunctioning plumbing.
Add Insulation to Your Pipes
You’re likely familiar with the insulation that you have in your walls, attic, basement, etc. This same insulation can be used around your pipes to keep them warm. With insulated pipes, water is less likely to freeze inside your pipes during the wintertime.
We recommend that you invest in a good quality product with a high R-value. Spray foam insulation is a great option for pipes. It can be sprayed into various nooks and crannies to provide exceptional insulation against the cold. If you’re on a tight budget, consider using something like foam tubing, which can be attached directly around your pipes. Fiberglass insulation is also affordable and is resistant to heat loss as well as mold growth.
Maintain an Optimal Interior Temperature
The temperature in your home should be around 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the wintertime. Some people like to maintain an interior temperature that is a bit warmer or cooler, but you should never let your thermostat drop below 55 degrees. Anything below will promote the freezing of water in your pipes.
If you’re going to be traveling or away from your home and want to save money on your HVAC costs, use a smart thermostat to monitor your interior temperature while you’re away. You can adjust accordingly to ensure your pipes don’t freeze.
Scheduling Routine Inspections and Maintenance
Ideally, our team will visit your home at least once per year to inspect your plumbing system. We can spot issues like lack of insulation, pipe damage, and drafty areas that all pose a risk of your pipes freezing. Modifications and repairs can be made to prevent this scenario.
Protecting Your Pipes
You should leave the cabinets open if there are pipes inside and you’re concerned that freezing may occur. This will allow ample warm airflow around your plumbing to prevent freezing. You can also wrap your pipes in warm towels to keep water inside from freezing. Just make sure that you’re swapping these towels out for newly warm ones every so often.
If you have a space heater on hand, direct warm air to pipes that are at risk of freezing during a cold spell. This is especially useful if the power goes out in your home, but you have battery backup power that can run a space heater.
Using Heat Tape or Heat Cables
If there is a specific area of your plumbing system that is especially at risk of freezing, you can use tools like heat tape or heat cables to deliver heat directly to the pipes. The heat is not so warm that it will damage your pipes, but it keeps water from getting too cold inside and freezing. This is a tool that we use as professionals to prevent freezing and to thaw a frozen pipe.
Leaving Water on a Trickle
You can open your faucets and fixtures to allow a tiny bit of water to drip out. This small flow of water is often enough to prevent ice from forming. You won’t want to do this all the time since it can increase your utility bills, but it’s a great option if you’re going to be away from home for an extended period or you have lost power in your residence.
If you would like assistance with your plumbing system this winter, reach out to us here at Winfrey Plumbing. We provide repairs, maintenance, and installation for your plumbing system. We also service sewers and drains, take care of your water heater, and offer commercial assistance to the Omaha and Grand Island areas.
Contact Winfrey Plumbing today to schedule a plumbing appointment today.
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