Now that I'm an adult, I have to do adult things. I remember my mom talking about frozen pipes in the winter and now it's a real thing that I have to be concerned about. This is that time, friends. 

The reason frozen pipes are a big deal is because water expands as it freezes. Think of that in your pipes. Those suckers will burst - no matter the material holding in the water...or ice.

Frozen Pipe Prevention:

  1. Allow your hot and cold water to drip overnight from your faucets.
  2. Open cabinet doors under sinks and in storage areas to allow the heat from the room to circulate around your pipes (uninsulated ones)
  3. Insulate pipes on outside walls, in crawl spaces  and in the garage.
  4. Keep your heat set no lower than 55 degrees. If you're leaving town, don't go below that to save money - it could mean frozen pipes when you come home.

You Know You Have a Frozen Pipe When:

  • Only a trickle of water comes out. Nothing more.

How to Fix a Frozen Pipe:

  1. Keep the faucet open (on)
  2. Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, a blow dryer or a portable space heater. Keep the flammables away from the pipe.
  3. Don't release the heat from the pipe until full water pressure is restored.
  4. Check the rest of the faucets in your home.
  5. Breathe a sigh of relief
  6. If you aren't able to complete #5, call a plumber and try not to panic.

 

More From 103.5 KISS FM