How to Avoid Frozen Pipes This Winter

The winter months in Davenport, Iowa can mean tranquil beauty, but they can also bring less than desirable weather conditions. Once frigid temperatures hit, they can wreak havoc on your plumbing system, causing pipes to freeze and creating large headaches for homeowners.   

What causes pipes to freeze?

When the weather gets excessively cold, any water that is in any pipes located on the exterior walls or unheated areas of your home can freeze. When the water freezes, it expands and creates immense pressure within your pipes. If the condition is not addressed promptly it could cause your pipes to burst. This can create a host of problems for your entire plumbing system and can leave a huge mess to clean up, as walls, floors and other surfaces that come in contact with water can warp, mildew and mold. The best way to keep your pipes from freezing is to prepare ahead of time. Here are three tips to avoid a costly catastrophe.

• Turn off outside spigots – If your exterior hose bibs remain turned on, any water in the pipes can freeze starting from the outside of your home and working its way inside. Before cold weather hits, turn off the water supply to the exterior of your home and bring in garden hoses, which can also become damaged in freezing temperatures.
• Open doors of exterior cabinets – During extreme cold spells, be sure to open the doors of any exterior wall cabinets that house plumbing pipes. This will allow the warmer air from inside your home to circulate around the pipes. If the temperatures are excessively cold, consider running a ceramic space heater near the cabinet to help raise the air temperature.
• Turn your faucet to a slow drip – If your faucet is located on an exterior wall, turn it on slightly to allow the water to consistently drip. Keep it turned on until the temperatures outside moderate. The steady flow of water through the pipes will make it more difficult to freeze.

If freezing pipes continue to be a problem or your home is in need of repair because of a leaking pipe, it might be time to consider remodeling your home to move plumbing pipes away from exterior walls. Contact the experts at JD Coussens to determine the best option for your budget. We have been providing full-service remodeling since 1990.

Maintaining Your House During Winter

If you own a home in an area where snow can be expected every winter, then you’ve had to deal with the number of activities that come along with it; shoveling, plowing, scraping off your car, salting, and dressing in multiple layers just to go outside. However,if you keep with these tasks during the winter months, you’ll protect your home from damage and make it easier on yourself when a big snowfall does happen.

Store Away Tools 

Make sure all your tools and equipment are properly cleaned, fixed, and ready for use. You don’t want to have to rummage through your garage or storage shed to find your shovel. Have your snow shovels, snow blower, and plenty of rock salt handy so you are prepared for a major winter storm. Do you have a snowblower? Make sure you have the tools to maintain and take care of it in case it needs repairs.

Check Your Furnace

Before winter arrives, the most important thing you need to do for yourself and your family is to ensure that your furnace is operational, safe, and as energy-efficient as you can make it. When that first cold day hits, you don’t want to turn on the furnace only to discover that it isn’t working (a lot can happen during the warmer months to affect your furnace). Your best bet is to call an HVAC professional and have them come out and inspect your furnace. During a regular maintenance inspection, the repairman also will clean the furnace, change the filter, check for leaks and unhealthy gases, and ensure that everything is operational. If you can, have them to clean the furnace ducts.

Seal Any Drafts

Older houses can be drafty. It’s a fact. But just because they are drafty doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. The good news is it doesn’t require a huge sum of money spent on big projects to stop the drafts. Rope caulk is a fantastic and super easy solution to drafty windows in the wintertime. Plastic film covering your windows is another affordable solution in keeping out the cold. Stop frigid air from creeping through window sills and under doors with a draft snake. You can buy them online, or easily make one by filling a knee sock with dry rice.

To learn more about JD Coussens Inc. and how we can help make sure your home can handle winter, please visit our website!