Don’t Let Your Pipes Freeze

When the cold sets in, it’s time to start thinking about your pipes. If the air outside gets freezing enough, and there’s not sufficient heat inside your home to stop it from creeping in, your pipes can freeze. Frozen pipes can be a messy and expensive problem that can disrupt your life at home. Fortunately, there are some things you can do at home to help prevent your pipes from freezing over. 

Pipe Insulation

Foam rubber and fiberglass sleeves make for excellent insulation that will help your pipes retain heat while keeping out the cold. Insulation won’t add any warmth on its own, meaning it won’t prevent freezing all on its own, either. However, it will help keep your pipes above freezing temperatures for longer, and that can make all the difference.

Heating Tape

Unlike pipe insulation, the heating tape does add heat. You or a specialist in plumbing in Horsham, PA, can install this tape (it’s actually wire) along short lengths of pipe where the risk of freezing is highest. 

Typically, you plug in and turn on heating tape manually, but some varieties can turn on automatically when heat detects too-cold temperatures. 

Seal Cracks and Gaps

Check to see where your pipes may be running through floors or walls. There will be gaps and cracks between the floor and wall where cool air can sneak through. Using spray foam insulation or caulk, you can reliably seal these gaps and prevent cool air from affecting entire pipe sections.

Keep Your Doors Open

By opening all of your doors, you can allow the heat inside your home to spread more evenly. This method will help colder rooms heat up and keep your pipes from freezing. If you have lines running behind your cabinets, leaving those cabinet doors open would be wise. Not sure where your lines are? Find a reliable plumber to help find your plumbing in Horsham, PA.

Turn on Your Faucet

By opening up your faucet just enough to let it drip, you can keep the water inside your pipes moving. If you expect your pipes to freeze, this will keep pressure from building inside your pipes.

Keep Your Heat Running

Keeping your heat on will do the most work to stop pipe freezing. So long as you keep the heat on, your pipes aren’t likely to freeze. If you expect to be out of the house for an extended period, make sure to keep your heat at around 50°F so you can save some money while preventing your pipes from freezing.

Worried About Your Pipes? We Can Help

Whether you need help preventing frozen pipes or your pipes are freezing right now, you can depend on Mallard Plumbing and Mechanical to help with all of your plumbing in Horsham, PA. Give us a call, and we can get someone out to assist you right away.