Which Immediate Plumbing Issues Could Come Up This Winter?

Winter is the busiest period of the year for many plumbing companies. The challenges that the season poses to plumbing systems usually lead to certain household plumbing emergencies. Below are the immediate plumbing issues that commonly come up in the winter, along with what you can do to avoid them.

Frozen Pipes

The cold temperatures outside can make unprotected pipes freeze easily, one of many troubling and immediate plumbing issues. Frozen pipes are one of the most serious plumbing issues. Frozen pipes can crack or burst and lead to thousands of dollars' worth of damage in just minutes. You can avoid this issue by adding insulation to your pipes, especially those in uninsulated areas and on exterior walls.

Water-Heater Failure

Your water heater works its hardest in the winter, which increases its likelihood of breaking down. If your unit fails to deliver hot water or struggles to meet demand, it may be necessary to repair or replace it.

Having your water heater serviced every year is essential to keeping it performing as expected. Nevertheless, water heaters function optimally for around 10 years. If your water heater is on its last legs, consider scheduling a replacement.

Clogged Kitchen Drains

With low temperatures, kitchens, and kitchen sinks get a workout as people cook more. More fat, grease, and bits of food are sent down the drain. Clogs occur more often, as the food waste clumps, congeals, and freezes in the cold.

You can prevent your kitchen drains from clogging — one of many immediate plumbing issues — by avoiding putting any grease or fat down the drains and not grinding fibrous, sticky, or extremely hard objects in the garbage disposal.

Frozen Septic or Sewer Lines

The waste inside sewer lines can freeze as the ground around the lines freezes. The waste expands gradually as it freezes and may eventually burst a line or the septic tank. Have your tank pumped before the cold winter months to remove waste and prevent this problem. Schedule a comprehensive plumbing inspection if your sewer system has had any issues during the year.

Proactive maintenance goes a long way toward preventing plumbing emergencies. For assistance with any immediate plumbing issues or maintenance in the Broken Arrow area, contact us at Air Assurance.

How Can Cold Weather Make Plumbing Issues Worse?

Cold weather plumbing issues can occur anytime temperatures plunge well below freezing for several hours. Here in northeastern Oklahoma, average nightly temperatures drop below freezing about three months each year. In extreme cases, temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero have been recorded here. In cold weather, plumbing can be exposed to stresses that damage pipes and connected components. Here are tips to ensure that cold weather plumbing issues are not on the calendar this winter. 

Broken Pipes

Frozen pipes may occur when temperatures drop below 25 degrees for several hours. Ice formation inside pipes expands, exerting pressure that may rupture the pipe. A broken water-supply line can flood a house with hundreds of gallons of water per hour, causing expensive damage. In cold weather, plumbing can be protected from freezing by taking a few preventative measures:

• Insulate exposed pipes. Install slip-on, foam-insulation sleeves on pipes that may be exposed to extreme cold, including in the crawl space under the house and in the attic. 

• Look for gaps, cracks, or other penetrations that allow frigid air to infiltrate exterior walls where water pipes are routed. Seal small openings with expanding insulated foam and cover larger openings with wood or other material. 

• If extremely low temperatures are forecast, open kitchen and bathroom faucets slightly to allow a continuing trickle of water. This releases pressure that damages pipes if ice forms inside plumbing.

• A sudden loss of water pressure at one or more faucets during subfreezing temperatures may indicate damage caused by cold weather plumbing issues. Don’t wait for temperatures to rise; contact a qualified professional plumber immediately.

Water-Heater Issues

A water heater installed in an unheated garage or outdoors is vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Protect against cold weather plumbing damage by installing a water-heater-insulating blanket that wraps around the tank. Also, insulate exposed water inlet and outlet pipes connected to the water heater.

For more information about preventing cold weather plumbing damage this winter, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

Take these Precautions to Avoid Frozen Pipes

Cold weather months in the Broken Arrow area pose a serious risk of frozen pipes. With just a few extra precautions, though, you can protect your pipes and prevent damage to your home.

Why Frozen Pipes are a Problem

Any time the outdoor temperature falls below freezing, the water in your pipes is at risk for freezing, too. When water freezes, it expands. Pressure from expanding ice inside the pipes can cause frozen pipes to crack or even burst. When the damaged pipes finally thaw, they'll leak water until you turn off the water supply. If you're asleep or away from home when the pipes freeze and leak, you could end up with extensive flooding and water damage.

How to Protect Your Pipes

Keep your thermostat set no lower than 60 degrees, even when you're not home. Insulate pipes in unconditioned spaces, such as the basement, with foam pipe insulation or fiberglass batts.

To keep cold drafts off the pipes, seal air leaks in these spaces with caulk and weatherstripping as appropriate. Insulate your basement rim joists and your crawl space walls with rigid foam insulation. You'll protect your pipes, keep your floors warmer, and improve your home's energy efficiency.

Disconnect your garden hoses and put them in storage for the winter. If your outdoor faucets aren't frost proof, shut off the water supply to them and open the faucets to drain the remaining water.

When the temperatures fall below freezing, open the doors to your sink cabinets to let warm air reach the pipes. Open your taps to let a thin stream of water flow. Flowing water is less likely to freeze.

Learn the location of the shutoff valve for your home's water supply. If your pipes do freeze and crack, shutting off the water will prevent leaks until the pipe can be repaired. For pipes that have frozen solid, contact a plumber. Incorrectly thawing frozen pipes can damage them.

For more pro tips on preventing winter damage to your home, contact us at Air Assurance in the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Fulcanelli/Shutterstock”