PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – Tis the season for frozen and burst pipes. Here are some tips and tricks from a local plumbing company to help you avoid burst pipes.
Imagine going on a tropical vacation during the winter months, but when you return your house floods due to a burst pipe. Ultimately, this ruins your post-vacation happiness.
The first piece of advice from Zach Wilson, vice president of Dries Plumbing Incorporated, is to know where the water shutoffs are located in your home.
Another tip is to set the oven in your home to at least 70 degrees. This allows the ambient temperature around the pipes to counteract the outside temperatures. Wilson says the main cause for concern is the plumbing on the exterior walls of your home.
If you run pipes up walls that have no interior space on the other side, insulate them. He said wrapping them in something can prevent them from freezing and eventually breaking.
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Opening cabinets with plumbing also reduces the risk of freezing. Cabinets under sinks should be opened to let in the warm temperature from your home and keep the plumbing warm enough.
“Typically, pipes freeze when they are filled with water under pressure and are not being used.” Wilson recommends allowing a slow trickle of water to run from your faucet. This keeps the water moving and prevents it from freezing.
Wilson said you should remove your hoses from their fittings regardless of whether you have special “antifreeze” hoses. “People won’t know if they have a broken pipe until the weather warms up in the spring.” Wilson said they received over 20 calls about broken hose lines in the spring after a deep freeze.
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