Frozen Pipes

Tips For Preventing Your Pipes From Freezing

frozen pipes in basementPlumbing leaks are something that many homeowners on Long Island face and can be caused by freezing during the winter. These leaks come about when the frozen water starts to expand instead of contract. When this happens, the water needs more space than it did before which causes the leaks.

The enclosed space of the pipe will not be able to hold the expanding water. When the pipe reaches its limit, it will burst and cause a plumbing leak. It is possible that this issue with freezing water can cause a number of leaks around the house which is a large problem that you will want to avoid.

This is why you should be aware of the different ways that you can prevent freezing in your pipes.

These prevention methods are particularly important if you are moving into a new house and are unsure about the state of the pipes. Of course, it is recommended that before you buy a house, you check the plumbing to ensure that preventative measures have been taken. If they have not been, you will need to know what they are, how to implement them and how they can help.

Coating The Pipes With Fiberglass

One of the simplest prevention methods is to coat the pipes in fiberglass. It is easy to find the materials for this in the local department store. If you are looking to reduce the costs of this process, you should look at only insulating the pipes that are out of the way such as those in the crawl space. These are the pipes that will not be exposed to the heat of the house and are more likely to freeze during the cold winter months.

If you are going to use fiberglass, you need to be careful as it can be dangerous particularly if you inhale it. This is why you need to have protective clothing including a mask before you start. If you are nervous about doing this yourself, you can hire a professional plumber to handle the job instead. This provides the additional benefit of ensuring the job is done correctly.

Get A Heat Trace Cable

A heat trace cable is a cable which has been made of metal with a very high heat conductivity rate. These cables are used to spread heat from any part of the house to another. When you run these cables along the pipes in your home, you can easily transfer heat from a warm part of your home to the pipes that do not generally feel this.

Most of these cables are actually very easy to install and it is something that you could do yourself. Of course, if you have a lot of pipes or do not have to time to do this yourself, you should consider hiring a plumber. Hiring a plumber to do this will cost more than doing it yourself, but it could take less time and be more effective in the long-run.

Make Use Of A Space Heater

Many people do not consider using a space heater to avoid freezing pipes. However, if you have an area of the house where most of your plumbing is located, you can use a space heater to ensure that the area is warm. The key to using this method is to ensure that the room is always at a warm temperature so that the water in the pipes cannot completely freeze and cause any damage.

Open Your Cabinet Doors

In most Long Island homes, the plumbing will run behind the cabinets. The problem with this is that the walls might not be properly insulated and this could allow the pipes to freeze. If this is the case in your home, you should open the cabinets to let the heat from the house warm the pipes. It is recommended that you try this method if you are sure that the pipes run through the wall and that the wall is not correctly insulated. If the wall is insulated, this method will not help very much.

Reducing the chance of freezing pipes using these methods is only a temporary solution and should not be considered a permanent fix. Many of these solutions will only help stop the freezing of water in the pipes, but will not reduce freezing completely. It is recommended that you use these solutions in the winter, but look at a more permanent solution during the summer months.

It is recommended that you hire a professional plumber to assess your plumbing during the summer. They will then be able to offer suggestions which will help you protect your plumbing in the winter. Getting a permanent solution in place will be cheaper in the long-run than constantly using temporary solutions of having to deal with the aftermath of freezing and bursting pipes. It will also be more convenient as you will not have to worry about anything.

A Leaky Hissing Water Pipe – When To Call A Plumber

Imagine waking up in the morning and getting ready to hop in the shower. Visualize yourself taking off your pajamas and tossing them on the floor. Then all of a sudden you hear some sort of strange noise coming from behind the wall in the shower? It’s a small hissing sound! Then the hissing sound gets a lot louder! Now it’s very loud! You have a leaky hissing water pipe on your hands!

You feel frustrated and angry because only two days earlier you had a leaky water pipe repaired under your Long Island house. Now this is happening! Your heart sinks in gloom and despair while you are standing around with no clothes on and your head is throbbing. You are sick and tired of everything! In this article we will be looking at two options to carry repairs out or to work on other related plumbing problems.

Think back when you had wrong sized pipes, improperly installed pipes, old water pipes, burst pipes or leaky hissing water pipes were just something you imagined. Now that you are a homeowner, anything associated with leaking water around your house is a problem and something you definitely need to worry about.

You’ve probably heard “money can’t buy happiness” before. That may be true but with leaky pipes it definitely can buy “peace of mind” for you if you are able to find someone qualified to get things fixed. With leaky pipes there is no such thing as peace of mind.

You need to determine whether the problem you have with water leaks can be solved by a minor task such as replacing a tap washer, or something more major such as replacing all your home’s water pipes. Go for it if you know how to do a simple repair. However, if the job is something beyond what you are capable of – which your gut will be able to tell you – then call a plumber!

Like anything else, anytime you are feeling unsure or uncomfortable about any aspect that relates to your home’s plumbing like a leaky hissing water pipe then it might be time to get professional advice. It will cost you money, but you should seek out a qualified, well respected professional plumber. To find a good one ask around with people you know. Usually a plumber will be able to assess the situation quickly and get it resolved. Any foreseeable problems will also usually be noticed and resolutions can be suggested.

I speak from painful experience unfortunately. I recently change all of my home’s water pipes. I was bound and determined to do this gigantic task on my own. I spent numerous hours working out where all of the pipes connected and got a plan drawn up that showed where the pipes went. I purchased all of the materials. However, my “gut” told me that I was taking on more than I could handle. I gave up on my cool idea of being able to do it on my own. What I did instead was hire a plumber and worked with him to learn as much as I possibly could. When I changed my mind, my wife was quite happy about that. It is all done now. We have peace of mind and are very happy.

Leaky Pipes? Reasons You Need To Contact A Plumbing Company

What To Do If Your Pipe Bursts?If you have ever experienced a plumbing issue, you know how inconvenient and frustrating it can be. Now, imagine if a pipe freezes and bursts, the toilet overflows or you develop a leak in your wall.

Each of these issues can cause expensive and health hazardous water damage. Plumbing problems are something that everyone wants to avoid, which is why homeowners stock up on chemicals that are used to removes clogs and keep your plumbing working great.

Although you can use these products occasionally, if you find that you are needing these products often or your plumbing issue has become more than you can handle, it is time to call in a professional plumber.

A licensed plumber is specially trained to handle all types of plumbing issues that are causing your problems. You may think that it is easy to fix a plumbing leak under your sink; however, if you attempt to make such repairs without the assistance of a professionally trained plumber, you could find yourself in a very soggy situation and the once simple fix could become a much larger problem.

Believe it or not, there is more to fixing a leaky pipe that you would imagine. That pipe often disappears into your walls, ceiling or floors and travel to other plumbing fixtures in your home, including the kitchen sink, the shower, the bathroom sink, the toilet and the laundry room. There are repair manuals out that can help; however, if you do not know what is broken or have the skills needed to make the repairs, you can wind up in a sticky situation.

Hiring a plumber is your best bet. A plumber will diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs quickly and correctly the first time. Saving you time, headaches and even more costly repairs. Once a professional plumber assesses the situation, you can rest assured that your plumbing issue will be fixed right the first time.

Having the name and number of a quality, licensed plumber on hand can save you time and money should an issue arise. When searching for a plumber, find one that offers 24 hour service. Rather than needing to wait until normal business hours, the plumber will be available when a disaster strikes. Additionally, if you are considering purchasing a new house, you should have the plumbing system inspected by a licensed plumbing company before finalizing the contract.

Plumbing issues can arise at any time, which is why you need a plumber that has the skills and expertise to handle all of your plumbing needs. If you do not do your research first, you may find yourself at the hands of an unscrupulous plumber. By taking the time to research and find a licensed professional, you can protect yourself and your home’s plumbing system from damage.

Although you may be able to handle minor plumbing issues like a clogged toilet, you should leave the large and more difficult jobs to the professionals. If you try to fix a plumbing issue, you can make a small problem become a larger and more expensive plumbing issue.

How to Keep Your Pipes From Cracking or Clogging

As the weather begins to get cold here in the Long Island/New York City area you need to attend to all of your exposed pipes by adding insulation to them. Pay particular attention to pipes located in crawl spaces and the outside walls of your residence. Taking this step will help ensure that your pipes continue to function throughout the winter.

When concerned with plumbing, you need to know what can cause noisy pipes. This is important because it can mean the difference between an annoying noise and flooding in your house. Do your research to distinguish between the different noises and hire a professional if any serious risk is posed.

Do not pour grease or oil down any of your household drains. Put them in containers and place in the fridge until they are solid, then throw them away. If you pour them down the drain, they can solidify in cold pipes. These solid masses will clog your pipes and are very difficult to remove.

Make sure that you disconnect all hoses outside your house when the fall season hits. This is important to reduce the chance of freezing, which can cause damage to the connecting pipes. Disconnect all of your water hoses and store them safely to put your family in the best position for the fall.

We hope these tips provide you some much needed insight on how to keep your home’s pipe from cracking or clogging. However, if you do have damage to your pipes that need to be repaired please use the information on this site, www.plumbingemergencyrescue.com as your main resource.

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