Frozen Pipes
What You Need To Know About Frozen Pipes
With Ontario's extreme weather conditions, it is common for households to experience frozen water pipes. It's important to know the warning signs of frozen water pipes and learn what to do to prevent damage to your pipes and your home.
Warning Signs of Frozen Water Pipes
When it comes to frozen water pipes, it's possible to see warning signs and have them fixed before it bursts and causes damage to your home. If a pipe burst occurs, call a professional plumber like Plumbtech to fix the pipes before the problem worsens. Knowing the warning signs will help you discover your frozen water pipes.
Frosted Pipes
One of the more common signs of frozen water pipes is if you can see frost on your pipes. Since you have to see the pipes themselves, it is a little harder to spot. If you suspect frozen water pipes, check out the area you think is most likely to be frozen and check for visible frost.
Water Isn’t Working
The easiest way to tell if you have frozen water pipes is if your water isn't working, which could mean that your water line has frozen. It's possible that the water won't stop completely and drip water.
Bad Smell
If you start noticing a bad smell coming from your drain, it's possible that it could be a frozen water pipe because when a drainpipe does freeze, then the waste from your sink can't go down properly.
Strange Sounds
Sounds such as gurgling or rattling could be caused by frozen bits travelling through the pipes, meaning that there is a frozen pipe somewhere in your home.
Water Damage
The worst sign to find would be water damage in your home, as frozen water pipes can lead to burst pipes. Depending on how extensive the pipe burst is, there could be flooding, peeling paint/wallpaper, musty odours/mould, the sound of water running, and structural damage. If you experience any of these water damage signs, call a plumber immediately.
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Frozen Pipe Prevention
The plumbing experts at Plumbtech have outlined some helpful tips to help prevent your water pipes from freezing.
Keep Garage Door Closed
If you have water lines that go through your garage, then it's important to ensure that the garage door stays closed as it's easy for the space to stay cold as they often have large amounts of concrete.
Seal All Cracks or Holes
Inspect your home annually to ensure that all the cracks and holes are properly sealed allowing for no cold air to come through and freeze your water pipes. Look at places in your home that have pipes nearby that could become frozen instead of inspecting the whole house.
Keep the Heat On
When you go away on vacation or to visit family for the holidays, you should make sure to leave the heat on as the lower the temperature of your house could lead to pipes freezing and bursting while you are away.
Insulate Your Pipes
One of the best solutions to help ensure you won't get frozen water pipes is to use pipe insulation which is cost effective compared to what it would cost if a pipe burst in your home. Make sure to look at your pipes in the attic, basement and garage, as those are the more common places for pipes to freeze.
