How to Prepare Your Plumbing for Winter

Here is How You Can Prepare For Winter

During the cold winter months, your plumbing system is at risk. Frozen pipes are more likely to burst and excessive rain storms can lead to rust and other issues. It’s important that you take the proper precautionary steps to avoid common winter-related plumbing problems, as this will help you avoid costly damage to your home or business.

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Protect Outdoor Faucets

The simplest way to prevent damage to outdoor faucets during the winter? Turning off the water supply to these faucets. Make sure that faucets, garden hoses, and other outdoor plumbing systems are completely drained and shut off to avoid water freezing inside them when temperatures drop. If you’re not able to locate your outdoor shutoff valve, or your property does not have one, contact the pros at AUX Home Services. We’ll be able to help you locate the shutoff valve or look for alternative options.

Schedule a Water Heater Tune-Up Service

This is best done in the fall, before winter begins. You won’t want to be left without hot water during those cold January mornings, and a routine water heater maintenance service can help you ensure that your water heater is in good working order. During your tune-up, our service technicians will make honest, professional recommendations, check the various components of your water heater, and make minor repairs as needed.

Check Exposed Pipes

Frozen pipes are the number one plumbing emergency in the winter. A frozen pipe can easily burst, leading to flooding, water damage, and far-reaching problems. Frozen pipes can be prevented with the proper insulation of any exposed pipes. First, check to see if you have exposed pipes on your property. This can include any visible pipes in the basement, crawlspace, or outside. Once located, cover these exposed pipes with foam sleeves, heat tape, newspaper, or other insulation to reduce the risk of freezing.

Disconnect Garden Hoses

Many people don’t realize that a hose that’s turned off can still have water inside it. To protect your plumbing from freezing winter temperatures, shut off your outdoor faucets, then disconnect and empty garden hoses. This will help prevent freezing and cracked or damaged pipes.

Traveling? Shut Off Your Water

Many people take vacations during the winter, traveling for the holidays, attending business trips, or simply getting away for a long weekend. If you’re leaving town during the winter, make sure you shut off your water main before you head out. This can help you limit any damage that might occur if your pipes should freeze while you’re gone. It’s also a good idea to turn off your automatic icemaker to prevent motor burnout.

Install Heat Cables

Add an extra layer of protection to exposed pipes with heat cables. Thanks to their ability to detect pipe temperature through the use of an integral thermostat, heat cables can offer greater peace of mind and protect your pipes from freezing. Heat cables will need to be plugged in, so you’ll want to make sure you have an accessible outlet nearby. For assistance installing heat cable, contact AUX Home Services.

Find out more about how you can protect your home or business’s plumbing systems during the winter; call us at 205-979-0946 for plumbing services in Birmingham and the nearby areas!