Best Frozen Pipe Prevention Methods

Winters in Broken Arrow are relatively mild, but there are still some cold days. That means you still need to take steps to prepare your home for lower temperatures. In particular, you need to protect your pipes. Anytime the temperature drops below 32 degrees, they're in danger of freezing. Here are three of the best methods of frozen-pipe prevention you can use.

Insulation

Any exposed pipes, both indoors and outdoors, should be insulated. There are insulating sleeves you can put on them, which prevent the cold from getting in, or you can wrap them in heat cables or heat tape, which actively warm the pipes to prevent freezing.

Regulate Your Home Temperature

Perhaps the best method of frozen-pipe prevention is keeping your home warm enough. As long as it's kept above 32 degrees, there shouldn't be any problem.

Weatherstrip your home to keep heat in. Seal any air leaks that could cause warm air to leak out or cold air to leak in, making your house colder. Make sure there's enough insulation in your attic as well, to keep the heat in your home.

Finally, open the doors to any cabinets that have pipes in them: in the bathroom, below the kitchen sink, etc. This will help make sure warm air reaches them and keeps the water flowing.

Focus on Water

Being aware of the water is a good step toward preventing freezing. When the temperature starts to drop, drain any hoses outdoors that might have water in them. Then, turn on each of your faucets just slightly, until there's a small but steady trickle of water coming from them. As long as the water is moving, it will be more difficult to freeze.

If your pipes do freeze, wrap them in a heating pad or other heat source. Leave the faucet on, as once the water starts flowing again, it will help the ice to melt faster. If it still won't thaw, call a plumber.

For more tips on frozen-pipe prevention, contact us at Air Assurance. Broken Arrow's home-comfort needs are our No. 1 priority.

Winter's Here, So Act Now To Prevent Frozen Pipes

Once winter arrives, one fear of every homeowner is to discover to frozen pipes. Far worse is to discover pipes that have burst, potentially causing significant damage. In order to prevent frozen or ruptured pipes, it is important you take some precautionary steps ahead of time. Typically in colder states with harsher winters, most homes have pipes that are located within building insulation, which protects them from subfreezing temperatures. Still, holes or cracks in a building, or extremely cold weather, can cause pipes to freeze or burst. Homes that have pipes located on the outside of building insulation leaving them completely unprotected from freezing temperatures. These homes are at greater risk for frozen pipes. These homes are typically those that have crawl spaces which is very common in Tulsa.Taking all this into consideration, what can a homeowner do to safeguard his pipes from freezing?

• Take time to caulk holes in walls or foundations near pipes to keep cold wind away from them.

• Insulate your pipes.

• If you have a crawlspace, consider foaming the crawlspace. This also can help with the energy efficiency of the home as well.

• Keep thermostat settings at 65 degrees minimum.

• Keep kitchen and bathroom sink cabinets open to allow warm air to circulate to the pipes below.

• One of the most well known tips is to leave faucets running during extreme cold weather. This tried and true method of allowing a faucet to drip provides instant relief from the mounting pressure that can occur in between the faucet and potential ice blockage. If you get rid of the water pressure, you can hopefully guard against a rupture, even if the pipe freezes.

Bottom line, you have to keep your pipes warm to prevent the costly damage of frozen and burst pipes. For more information on how you can prevent frozen pipes this winter, or for other HVAC-related questions, Broken Arrow-area residents should contact Air Assurance today.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today!     Freezing pipes image via Shutterstock