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There is no denying that every season has its pros and cons. Everyone enjoys long peaceful walks along the beach in summer and late-night bonfires in the winter. Apart from these romantic notions, there is so much to the changing climate, especially if you are the person responsible to make sure your house remains comfortable and habitable in every season.
Plumbing takes up a big chunk in the comfort pie. You can’t think about living in a house where you can’t have hot and cold water running at the twist of your fist. Winter can be harsh on plumbing systems and fixtures. It is best to be ready before the tribulations start.
In this post, we are going to explore some of the ways winter affects the plumbing system at your place, how you can be proactive about it. For the fixes, make sure you have professional plumbers on the job.
So, let’s get started!
Hectic For Water Heaters
During the winter months, when houses are crowded with guests for the holidays, water heaters are frequently put to greater use. Repairs or replacement may be required if your water heater struggles to keep up with demand or fails to supply any hot water.
Preemptive Measures
- Maintain your water heater on a regular basis. The majority of tank water heaters should be emptied once a year. To verify appropriate operation, test the pressure relief valve.
- To avoid freezing and maintain heat as hot water flows through pipes to fixtures, insulate the water supply inlet and hot water outlet pipes that run into and out of your water heater.
- In tank water heater types, use a water heater blanket to prevent energy loss.
Fixes
- If your water heater is having trouble meeting demand for hot water, consider raising the thermostat. To avoid scalds and maintain energy efficiency, never exceed 125 degrees.
- If your water heater isn’t working, check the electrical or gas supply, depending on the kind of water heater.
- Check the limit switch on the water heater thermostat. It may trip if the water is too hot, and it will need to be reset.
- If you are unable to resolve your winter water heater problems, contact a plumber to evaluate the system and, if necessary, make repairs. If your water heater is more than ten years old, it may be time to replace it; high-efficiency solutions should be considered.
In any case you are unsure about a problem, it is always the best course of action to call 24-hour plumbing services to do the job.
Frozen Outdoor Pipes
When water pipes that service, outdoor spigots are not properly weather resistant, they might freeze. It is because these lines do not extend inside the property and are often inactive during the winter months, burst pipes can cause significant water damage before a leak is spotted. The best way to avoid such situations is to hire professional tube services.
Preemptive Measures
- To defend against winter freezes, winterize outdoor hose bibbs in the fall.
- To avoid damage, disconnect hoses, drain the water, and store them for the winter. Turn off the valve on the water line that supplies the faucet inside the house. Open the hose bib valve outside to allow water drain, and leave it open throughout the winter to relieve pressure if it freezes.
- Over the winter, protect the hose bib with an insulating cover.
Fixes
- If the hose bibb valve isn’t already open, open it.
- Insulate the base of the hose bibb with towels or rags behind the wall where it rests.
- Warm the hose bibb by soaking the cloth in hot water. As required, add boiling water and look outside to see whether water is trickling from the faucet, indicating that the ice is melting.
- Heat guns or hair dryers can be used to heat the base of a hose bibb.
- This winter, have your plumber replace outdoor spigots with frost-free hose bibb versions to avoid concealed water damage. This inexpensive addition might provide excellent protection for your property over the winter.
Outdoor Drains
Outdoor drains may freeze and cause damage throughout the winter months. Because of the expansion and contraction of plastic surface drains when temperatures change, they are prone to breaking. When the weather becomes cold, take extra care of these drains to avoid damage.
Preemptive Measures
- Consider switching from plastic to metal drains. Metal drains, particularly galvanized steel drains, withstand freezing temperatures significantly better than plastic drains and are less prone to fracture in the winter. They are also more resistant to ice accumulation than plastic versions.
- To minimize jams and drainage issues throughout the winter, remove leaves and yard debris from outside drains in the fall.
- Clear any accumulation from the drain cover as soon as possible when we have snow or freezing rain.
Fixes
- If ice accumulates in outdoor drains, throw hot water with salt or a combination of water and deicer down the drain.
- If the ice cover is thick, use heat to break up huge chunks of ice and melt them away.
Winter can be cruel on your house, its systems, and appliances. With preemptive measures and the fixes should the worst become inevitable, it is best to have the contact number of a plumber on board. It will save you a lot of time and frustration of being helpless and at loss.
