The Frozen Pipes Are Calling…
The Chicago area has had some cold weather lately- with temperatures averaging around 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit and wind chill factors bringing it below zero in the last couple weeks. And with cold weather and especially chilling winds, comes frozen pipes.
It’s important to keep the water pipes in your home from freez
ing: frozen pipes can burst and cause thousands of dollars of damage in flooding and destroy drywall, furniture, flooring, and can even harm the foundation of a home. If you turn on your tap and water does not come out or it’s in a very slow trickle, your pipes may be frozen. If they have already burst and you have flooding, shut off your water main immediately and all gas or electric water appliances, such as a water heater, washer, or dishwasher, and call The Scottish Plumber immediately.
Do not attempt to thaw the pipes on your own- many fires are started in homes every year by attempts to thaw pipes with open flames or unattended electrical appliances. Licensed plumbers have specialty pipe thawing equipment that is safe and more effective.
Follow these tips to prevent your pipes from freezing when temperatures get as low as they have been this winter:
1. Close outside vents that can let in cold air: check your crawlspace, laundry room, and under the kitchen sink for open vents.
2. Make sure pipes along an exterior wall have access to the heat in the house. For example, if the water pipe for your kitchen sink is along an exterior wall of the house, keep the cabinet door open so heat from the house can enter the cabinet and warm the pipe.
3. When insulating pipes, make sure you insulate them between the cold outside of the house and the warmth from the inside of the house. Don’t put the insulation between the pipe and the indoors, which will block the heat from reaching it.
4. Check to see if you have water pipes on walls or ceilings/floors that are attached to the garage. The garage can get just as cold as the outside, so make sure these pipes are well-insulated.
5. At night, when temperatures drop and everyone is asleep and not running the faucets, pour a little table salt down the drain to keep the drain from freezing, and let a slow drip or trickle of water flow out of the faucet to keep the water moving.
6. Keep doors to crawlspaces open so heat from the rest of the home can enter the crawlspace and keep a pipe from freezing.
7. If you’re going on vacation or leaving the home for an extended period of time, don’t turn the heat completely off. Keep it from 55-60 degrees, and open all of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, crawlspace doors, and make sure the basement also has access to the home’s heat.