Lake Norman Plumber on Call Tips To Keep Pipes From Freezing
Mooresville, NC & Lake Norman are located in a region of the country with milder winters, however, there are always a few weeks to months every year when your pipes could freeze. While most homes with heating systems & regular plumbing use are generally safe from pipes freezing, there are businesses & other buildings on your property that may have running water.
Anywhere you have a water supply running on your property could be prone to freezing if not properly protected. There are also periods of time in the winter when a homeowner or business may be away for a few days or weeks. So it’s important to take precautions to keep pipes from freezing in the colder winter months of the year.
That is why we wanted to take the time to write a blog post on the importance of monitoring your home’s plumbing in the winter. There are many ways to prevent frozen plumbing pipes, and in this blog post, we will list these ways to help prevent your pipes from freezing in the winter.
Have a Thorough Plumbing System Inspection by a Professional Plumber
One of the first ways plumbers prevent pipes from freezing in the winter is by burying water lines below the frost line. Building code requires this, however, many inspectors don’t correctly check depths. This scenario in the southern parts of the United States like Mooresville, NC is rare, but it may happen in colder parts of the country.
With that in mind, most frozen plumbing lines come from direct exposure to extremely cold temperatures. To prevent this, plumbers will insulate pipes in unconditioned spaces. The most common type of water line exposed to these conditions is the hose bib for using water on the exterior of your home or business.
Plumbers will also seal air gaps in penetrations to prevent cold air from reaching water lines feeding bathroom & kitchen plumbing fixtures. The problem is sometimes insulation was removed for a plumbing repair or even torn down by some rodents. That’s why it’s essential to have your home’s plumbing system inspected before the colder months of the year.
Other Prevention Methods To Keep Pipes From Freezing
Insulating your plumbing is the best way to keep pipes from freezing, however, there are other ways to prevent frozen plumbing lines. Oftentimes, plumbing is in semi-conditioned spaces, meaning that it is exposed to colder temps than the home but not as much as the outside of the home. Examples of this include plumbing in the exterior walls of the home, in the attic, or crawlspace.
Keeping your home’s thermostat set to at least the 60s when away for extended periods of time, allows for some warmth to help keep pipes & water inside them above-freezing temperatures. This should make sure any plumbing located in the walls or floors of the home doesn’t get too cold.
Adding a heat source to areas where plumbing doesn’t get radiant heat from the home can also keep pipes from freezing in Mooresville NC as well. There are multiple types of low-energy devices you can use & an experienced plumber like Lake Norman Plumber on Call can help you make this determination.
Keep Water Moving or Winterize It
Another tip to keep pipes from freezing in Mooresville NC & areas of climate similar to ours is to keep water moving. This isn’t hard for most building owners that see regular use from families or customers using sinks & lavatories on a frequent basis.
There are a few caveats with this tip, as many people have heard of leaving faucets on with a slow drip. The problem with this is homes & businesses buying water from a utility provider can see an increase in cost. It’s also important not to do this on an outdoor hose bib.
Hose bibs & other exterior fixtures should be insulated or winterized. This goes for buildings not in use, as a flood from a clogged drain from leaving a faucet could cause more damage than frozen pipes themselves. It’s also a lot cheaper to have a plumber come & properly winterize plumbing that is not in use.
Summary
As you can see there are many easy ways to keep pipes from freezing in Mooresville NC. Most modern homes & buildings that meet current energy efficiency standards are safe from frozen pipes. Older homes & buildings are generally where we see more service calls to repair frozen plumbing lines.
Insulating & keeping some kind of radiant heat source going, along with using your plumbing system are the best ways to prevent frozen pipes. Winterizing exterior plumbing fixtures like hose bibs and/or buildings not being used during the winter months is the best way for preventing pipes from freezing in unused homes & buildings.
We hope this blog post has been helpful, and if you do have damage from frozen water lines, then be sure to reach out to us here at Lake Norman Plumber on Call. Be sure to favorite our blog, follow us on social media, & check out our other blog posts on plumbing & plumbing repair.
