Frozen pipes give homeowners headaches, because they might burst at any time, making a mess and resulting in a lot of damage. The best way to prevent this very unpleasant situation is to act early on. This means inspecting all the pipes around your property that are exposed to the elements, and insulating them before they freeze and burst.
Why Do Frozen Pipes Burst?
The water traveling through the pipes expands once it freezes, which means that it needs more space when it turns into ice than when it’s liquid. Frozen water blocks the pipe and presses against its walls, but because the pipe is rigid, it cannot withstand the pressure. Most often, frozen water finds a weak spot in the pipe, such as the joints or some other part, and breaks the pipe wall.
How Can You Prevent Pipe Burst?
Outdoor pipes or those which are exposed to cold air need protection to minimize the risk of pipe burst during winter. This is done by carefully insulating all the pipes located outside, on the exterior walls of your house, in your garage, in your attic, or in the basement. You can insulate external pipes with heat tape or other special products.
Go to a home improvement store and ask for the best insulating material for your type of pipes. Also, it’s important to let faucets drip to prevent pressure from building up in a pipe.
However, if you do discover a frozen pipe, it’s important to thaw it properly. One way is to soak the frozen part of the pipe in hot towels. If this doesn’t work, take a hair dryer or a space heater and heat up the pipe to melt the ice.
Let the faucet open to accelerate melting. Don’t use an open flame torch to heat up a frozen pipe under any circumstances, because you might injure yourself.
Need Help?
Seva Call can put you in touch with trustworthy professionals in your area to solve your plumbing problems in the shortest amount of time possible.
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