In Salt Lake’s chilly winter weather, it’s important to be aware of the risk of frozen pipes. Here at Electric Rooter, we help our customers keep their home safe and functional despite the weather.
When water freezes, it expands. This inexorable force can move rocks, cut mountains, and break up roads, so it has no problem obstructing, and even damaging your pipes. Whether your pipes are plastic or metal, ice can expand and crack the chilly, brittle material.
Your First Step in Case of Frozen Pipes
Your first sign of a frozen pipe occurs when you turn on a faucet and only a drip or tiny stream of water comes out. If that happens, it’s important to take care of the problem right away.
Locating the pipe could be a challenge if you’re not familiar with your house’s plumbing system. However, the most common culprits are pipes in the attic, basement, and running around the exterior of your house, as these aren’t as well-insulated against the weather. Try to trace the pipes back to their source and locate the frozen area. Once you’ve spotted the frozen area, attempt to defrost the pipes using a space heater, an electric heating pad (like you might have for your back), hot water, or even a hair dryer. Keep the water running so that you can check when the stream comes through on full capacity.
When Do You Need a Pro?
If you can’t defrost the pipes, however, or if you can’t locate the problem area in the first place, it’s time to contact a professional. Professional help can also be advantageous to assist you in locating other freeze-risk areas, taking precautions against freezing pipes in the future, and most importantly, checking for damage done to the pipes during freezing.
Cracks and leaks that are caused by ice damage in your pipes can lead to mold, foundational problems, and an alarming hike in your water bill. Make sure that you thoroughly check your pipes after you experience a freeze in order to prevent bigger problems down the road. A burst pipe can wreck your home and lead to expensive repairs.
Preventing Frozen Pipes
As with most situations, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So take measures today to guard your house against the risk of frozen pipes.
- Insulate individual pipes, especially pipes in cold and exposed areas.
- Insulate your attic and basement so that the pipes there can function better.
- Keep a small drip going on nights when there’s a risk of freeze, as this will keep your pipes exercised enough to guard them against freezing, usually.
- Turn off, disconnect, and clear out external pipe lines that connect to the house so that a freeze from pipes outside won’t follow you in.
Trust Electric Rooter
Whether you need to take action to prevent frozen pipes, thaw pipes that have already frozen, or make repairs to damage caused by frozen pipes, we can help! We’ve had years of experience in the area and we can help get your house into condition that will ensure safe and effective plumbing for years to come. Contact us today.