It's That Cold Time of Year - Time to Protect Your Pipes!

Winter is coming… Are your pipes prepared?

From 100-year freezes to snowmageddons, the winter months have a special way of packing an extra punch. Unfortunately, frozen pipes are an all-too-common occurrence, and can lead to costly impacts regardless of climate zone.

This leads to the age-old question, is it safe to flush a toilet when the pipes are frozen? Well, it depends. But, if the pipes are frozen, just remember… you get one flush.

It is important to note that pipes are most susceptible to freezing should they be located near an exterior wall or in an unheated crawlspace. Internal freezing typically only happens when power outages occur for extended periods of time.

Therefore, let’s kick-off the colder weather with a little pipe prep knowledge!

Freeze Prevention Tips:

Here are some of the best practices to help prevent pipes from freezing. Remember, it is far easier to prevent a pipe from freezing than replacing a burst pipe! As a rule-of-thumb, pipes do start to freeze around the 20 degree Fahrenheit mark.

Keep your garage doors closed as much as possible.

Open all interior doors to allow for better heat circulation (and bathroom cabinet doors at night).

At a minimum, keep your interior temperature around 55 degrees Fahrenheit and be sure to stay consistent.

Thawing Tip:

Should you find your pipes frozen (typically indicated by no water or constrained flow) remember, heat them slowly to avoid cracks.

Wrap an electric heating pad around the pipes to get them flowing.

Heat the pipes with a hairdryer.

Steadily increase the heat in your home (this is usually the preferred method).

We hope these simple tips will help you keep your pipes in working order this winter!

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