Winter in Suffolk County can sometimes bring cold snaps. When that happens, the unusually cool temperatures can occasionally freeze water pipes. That means when you turn on your faucet or try to take a shower, there’s no water flow because the pipe is blocked with ice.
If you want to make sure this doesn’t happen to you, here are a few things you can do if your home is prone to freezing pipes.
Let Dripping Faucets Do Their Thing
This is not a great fix, but it does work! The reason pipes freeze is because water isn’t circulating in the pipe when the temperature drops. However, if you have no other options available and you’ve got a leaky faucet, letting that water drip means the water in the pipe is moving and can prevent it from freezing in the pipe.
This is strictly a stop-gap/quick fix measure, however, and it’s recommended you get both the vulnerable pipe and the leaky faucet fixed.
Manage Your Doors
Pipes freeze because the temperature is too low. Usually, 20℉ is enough to cause a freeze if the pipe is too close to a wall. Another temporary fix to prevent this is to open doors and allow heat to circulate, such as opening the cabinet doors in the kitchen to allow warm air to reach the pipes.
On the other hand, if the pipes run through the garage and that’s where freezing occurs, make sure to keep the garage door closed to prevent cold air from hitting the pipes.
Insulate Your Pipes
However, the best fix is a professional, permanent one that adds convenience and even more worth to your property value. Having a professional come in and insulate your water pipes means never having to worry again about taking preventive measures in the winter to keep pipes from freezing. You’ll get water all winter long, regardless of the temperature.
If you’re interested in getting your pipes insulated or repaired because they’ve already frozen, we can help. Contact us and let us handle the problem.