Bartlett Heating and Air Talks About Dealing With Frozen Pipes

We are not out of the cold grips of winter yet sadly. Even after the thunderstorms and warmer temperatures yesterday, forecasts are showing a colder than normal start to March. With winters horribly low temperatures comes the issue of frozen pipes. That can be a real mess should they break so here are some tips to help prevent pipes from freezing. Both copper and plastic pipes can freeze and burst. Pipes freeze for the following reasons. Extremely cold and unexpected temperature drops, low thermostats not heating the home enough, and improper insulation. If your pipes break open you can have flooding issues, structural damage, and eventual mold issues. Before the cold weather hits you should make sure your pipes in the attic and basement are properly insulated. Have the leaks in your home sealed off, especially the ones around the pipes. Don’t forget to disconnect the water hose outside for the winter. You can also use heat tape to wrap around the pipes to help keep them warm. When the cold does hit, you can make sure you trickle the water in the faucets which will help them not freeze. Open the cabinet doors to help the homes heat reach the pipes. If your pipes do happen to freeze, NEVER try to thaw them with an open flame. A hair dryer works and you can also use electric heat pads to wrap around the pipes. Leave your faucets on and shut off your main water valve. Your pipes have more of a chance of freezing when the in home temperature goes below 55. Should you lose heat in your home call a professional like the ones at Bartlett Heating and Air and we can come out and fix your heater.