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December
11
11
Proactive Plumbing Tips to Protect Your Home This Winter
Illinois is a great place to live, but the winters can be brutal. One of the key factors when looking at Rockford homes for sale is how well the house will fare against the cold. Even in a well-insulated home with a great HVAC system, though, you'll need to do a little prep—particularly when it comes to your plumbing.
In extreme cold temperatures, the water in your pipes can freeze, expanding and causing the pipes to break. Not only will this leave you without running water, but the repairs are costly. When below-freezing weather is forecasted, taking the proper precautions is essential. Here are a few things you can do to beat the freeze.
- Insulation
For any exposed pipes, such as underneath sinks, basements, or crawl spaces, wrap them up to keep them warm. You can buy pipe insulation at the hardware store or just use cloth rags or even old newspapers. Or, if you want to take things a step further, invest in heat tape. It's a flat cable that wraps around your pipes and plugs into the wall, generating electrical heat to keep your pipes from freezing. - Indoor Temperature
Your thermostat can help keep your indoor pipes from freezing. However, while it may be tempting to crank the temperature up high, it's not necessary. Keeping things around 68 degrees in the daytime and 65 at night when you sleep will allow you to stay comfortable without wasting energy. While you're at work and the house is empty, you can put it down to 60 degrees and as low as 55 when you go on vacation without endangering your pipes. When the weather is freezing, remember to open the cabinet doors underneath the kitchen and bathroom sinks so the warmer air can reach them. - Drain Maintenance
This is important year-round, but particularly when the weather is freezing, you need to keep your drains clear so water can flow freely. Clogs can lead to backed-up water, which then freezes, damaging your pipes. Avoid putting too much down the garbage disposal at once, particularly fibrous food scraps like carrot or banana peels, as well as oil and grease. Use a hair trap for your shower to keep hair from going down the drain. If your drains are running slow or you're worried about clogs, put some drain cleaner down them to clear things out before the freeze comes. - Outdoor Prep
Where your pipes are most in danger is outside, so when below-freezing temperatures are forecast, you need to make sure you're ready. Remove any hoses attached to your outdoor spigots, drain them of water, and store them in the garage. Otherwise, any water left in them can back up into the faucet, causing damage. Next, turn off the water flow to all your outdoor faucets and turn them on to drain them of whatever water may have been lingering. Turn them off once it's done, and cover the pipes for the winter. - Let Water Run
If you have faucets in your basement, garage, or other uninsulated areas, wrap the pipes, turn on a thin stream of water, and let it run. The flow will prevent ice from forming. Your water bill will go up a little, but it's nothing compared to the thousands of dollars you'd have to pay to fix the pipes if they froze.
Our real estate agents can help you find a house where you can be comfortable in any kind of weather. Contact us, and let us help you find your dream home.