Preventing Frozen Pipes

Preventing frozen pipes is very important this time of year. Use these tips to ensure you don’t have this winter problem!

Illustration of a man using a hair dryer to thaw frozen pipes for an article about preventing frozen pipes.

Keep cabinet doors open: Kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors that cover plumbing should be kept open if possible. This allows warm air from the home to circulate around the pipes which may prevent freezing.

Keep water running: If there is a deep freeze happening and it’s supposed to last awhile, consider keeping the faucets on. Keeping the water flowing can help to slow down any freezing that could happen. Leaving the faucets running doesn’t need to waste a lot of water; even 5 drips per minute is sufficient.

Start wrapping: If the freezing process has already started, wrapping the pipes in warm towels can help to slow it down.

Use a hair dyer: Using a hair dyer to blow hot air directly onto the pipes can work wonders. Be sure to not use a blow torch or anything else that uses flames; this can create an even bigger problem.

Shut off the water: If pipes are already frozen, locate the master shut off and turn off the water.  Don’t forget to also turn off any outdoor water such as garden hose hookups.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *