A frozen pipe is the number one issue you can have in your home’s plumbing during winter. However, even though it can be a huge inconvenience, especially when the frozen pipe disrupts the water supply to your home, frozen pipes are not that big of an issue, says Five Star Property Management. That is because your plumbing system can return to normal after the frozen pipe thaws out as long as the pipe is not damaged.
The main issue when a pipe freezes is not that the pipe freezes; it is the fact that a frozen pipe can become a burst pipe. This is a real possibility due to the behavior of water when it is about to freeze. Water expands by as much as 10% when it freezes. Inside a closed pipe – with nowhere to go – that frozen water can exert as much as 40,000 pounds of pressure, causing it to burst.
But because the water inside the pipe is frozen, the damage is not immediately apparent, since no water is leaking from the burst pipe. The damage only becomes apparent in the spring or summer when the frozen pipe has thawed out. Many homeowners only become aware of the issues with their pipes weeks after the leak has had sufficient time to damage their homes.
This problem can happen to anyone; it only takes one freezing winter night for pipes to freeze. This is why around a quarter of a million households every year experience burst pipes, and the average insurance claim for that problem is $15,000. The best way to keep the pipes in your home from bursting is to keep them from freezing. How can you keep pipes from freezing?
Six ways to keep pipes from freezing (and avoid burst pipes)
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Watch your thermostat settings
Keeping your thermostat set at no lower than 50°F is recommended if you want to protect the pipes inside your home from the cold. This temperature level must be maintained throughout the entire house for 24 hours of the day.
If you are tempted to lower the temperature to reduce your heating cost, remember that the cost of fixing damage caused by a burst pipe will completely eclipse any savings you manage to achieve.
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Add insulation to walls
Make sure all walls in the attic, crawlspace, garage, and basement where water pipes run are adequately insulated. The existing insulation in those walls may not be enough to keep cold away from the water pipes in the area.
Do the same to all external walls where there are water pipes. Insulation does not generate heat; it only slows heat transfer. So this solution must be used in combination with other methods. Also, note that adding sleeve insulation to pipes will not prevent freezing.
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Apply heat tape
A heat tape might be enough to prevent frozen pipes in areas where hard freezes happen only occasionally. They work on the same principle as an electric blanket. Directly wrap all vulnerable pipes (pipes connected to exterior walls and pipes inside unheated spaces are at a higher risk of freezing) with heated tape.
There are two types of heat tapes. If you will be away from your home, buy a heat tape with a thermostat. They automatically switch on when temperatures fall below a certain level.
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Keep faucets slightly open
Even when the water in them approaches freezing point, pipes won’t freeze if the water inside them constantly moves. Pipes will freeze if they get very cold and the water, they contain is motionless.
To keep this from happening, keep the faucets (at least one of them) in your home open. Faucets only need to be open enough to allow a dribble of water flow; the water does not need to run. Doing this will increase your water bill slightly, but it can save you thousands of dollars.
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Leave interior doors open
Pipes may still freeze even if your thermostat is set high. This can happen when the warm air inside the home is not allowed to circulate through the entire home. Pipes in under-the-cabinet areas may be deprived of warmth but exposed to freezing cold due to closed cabinet doors. To keep them warm, leave under-the-sink cabinet doors open to ensure warm air can circulate in those areas.
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Seal openings and cracks in walls
Cold air flows into the home through gaps in your walls and floors where pipes enter the house. Apply foam insulation to these areas to seal the gaps. This should be done to every hole or gap in the walls and floors of your home. If possible, do it on both the interior and exterior sides of the walls and floors. Pay attention to gaps inside cabinet compartments.
Finally, know where your home’s main water shut-off valve is located. This is important if a pipe inside your home bursts. Being able to turn the water off from the source can help you reduce the impact of the leak and the repair cost. Also, make sure that every member of your household knows the location of this feature and how to use it.