Living in Williams Lake, BC, has its advantages. However, warm weather certainly isn’t one of them. Our cold climate poses significant challenges that homeowners in warmer climates don’t have to deal with. One is the possibility of frozen pipes. If the pipes in your home freeze, they could burst, leading to significant flooding. The good news is that there are ways to prevent the problem. Here’s an explanation of the risk and some tips to help you prevent frozen pipes.
When Are Pipes Vulnerable to Freezing?
Any time the outside temperature drops to 0 degrees Celsius, it’s possible for your pipes to freeze. However, at that temperature, only exposed pipes or those in unheated areas are at any real risk. The majority of frozen pipes occur once temperatures drop to -6.5 degrees or lower. At that point, even insulated pipes are at risk of freezing. It happens because the temperature of the incoming water supply drops low enough that ambient heat alone won’t prevent freezing.
Here in Williams Lake, average low temperatures start reaching the danger zone in October. And, the cold persists until the middle of May. Your home’s pipes are especially vulnerable between November and March, when average lows hover at or below -6.5 degrees.
Tips To Keep Your Pipes From Freezing
There are multiple ways to defend your home’s plumbing against the cold. Some involve simple tricks, while others require more involved changes to your plumbing. Here are some ways to keep your pipes from freezing.
Seal Air Leaks
One of the first things to do to prevent frozen pipes is to find and seal any air leaks in your home. That keeps cold air from reaching much of your plumbing, reducing the odds of a problem. You can start by walking around the perimeter of your home, looking for any noticeable cracks or gaps. If you see any, use appropriate outdoor-rated caulking or expanding foam to seal them. You can do the same thing inside your home as well.
Additionally, you can install weatherstripping on your windows and exterior doors. For maximum protection, consider door sweeps for your exterior doors, too. The better you air seal your home, the less you need to worry about frozen pipes. Also, it will increase your comfort and reduce your heating costs.
Insulate Exposed Pipes
If your home has any plumbing running through unheated spaces, insulating it is essential. That includes pipes in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and garages. Pipe insulation is easy to install on any pipe that’s not closed into a finished wall, floor, or ceiling. Plus, it will generally protect your pipes from freezing except in the most extreme cold conditions.
Drain and Cover Outdoor Hose Bibs
It should be obvious, but the closer your plumbing gets to the outside air, the greater the odds it may freeze. That makes your home’s outdoor hose bibs of particular concern. To protect them, it’s critical to turn off their water supply, drain them, and cover them before cold weather arrives. You can start by disconnecting your garden hoses, draining them, and storing them away. Then, you must locate the indoor shutoff valve for each hose bib. Those are typically within a few feet of where the water supply line exits your home’s exterior wall. Turn each shutoff valve off once you find it.
To protect your hose bibs, first remove any water remaining between the shutoff valve and the outside. Typically, opening the valve on the hose bib itself and waiting several minutes will suffice. After you’re certain no water remains, install insulated covers over each hose bib. They’re available in any hardware or home improvement store. They look like a small, foam box with a plastic strap protruding from it. Use the strap to secure the insulated cover onto your hose bib.
Always Keep the Heat On
In all but the most extreme circumstances, your home’s heating system provides ample protection against pipe freezing. That’s why it’s critical to ensure you keep your heat on throughout the colder months. You should avoid turning your thermostat below 12 degrees, even if you’re away from home. Ideally, you should leave it set to 18 degrees or higher. That ensures there’s plenty of heat energy available to transfer into your pipes, preventing freezing.
Fortunately, heat energy always spontaneously moves from warmer substances to colder substances. So, as long as the water in your pipes remains colder than the indoor air, the water will readily absorb heat. You can maximize the benefits of your home’s higher air temperature, too. To do it, open all your home’s under-sink cabinets whenever the outdoor temperature drops well below freezing. That ensures that warmer indoor air reaches exposed sections of pipe, facilitating heat transfer.
Leave a Faucet Dripping
Another simple way to keep your pipes from freezing in frigid temperatures is to keep water moving through them. It works because flowing water won’t freeze as quickly as still water will. The best way to keep water moving in your plumbing is to turn a faucet in your home on just enough to let it drip slowly. Ideally, you should choose the faucet that’s furthest away from your home’s water supply entry point. That will keep water moving through the majority of your plumbing. It will also provide pressure relief if a pipe freezes anyway. That can prevent pipes from bursting.
Install a Heat Tape System
If you want more active protection for your pipes, consider installing a heat tape system. As their name suggests, heat tape consists of long electric resistance heating strips. You can wrap them around vulnerable pipes, where they’ll apply heat directly when needed. Heat tape systems plug directly into existing outlets, and typically include a thermostat. That way, you can set the system to turn on only in temperatures below freezing.
What To Do if a Pipe Freezes
If you suspect a frozen pipe in your home, don’t panic. Instead, you should try to take immediate steps to limit the damage. Start by turning off the water supply to the affected pipe. Then, turn on some faucets around your home. Doing so will help release pressure while your pipes thaw. If you want to speed things up, you can use a hairdryer or a space heater near the affected pipe. You can also use a heating pad to apply direct heat to the frozen pipe. It may take several hours for the affected pipe to thaw completely. Afterward, you can try turning the water supply back on. If there are no signs of leaks, you’ve likely averted the worst outcome.
If you aren’t sure what part of your plumbing has a problem, turn off your home’s main water supply immediately. Then, turn on your faucets and call Burgess Plumbing Heating & Electrical Co Ltd. Our plumber will isolate the problematic pipe and thaw it safely for you.
Local Frozen Pipe Experts
Since 1953, Burgess Plumbing Heating & Electrical Co Ltd has been the plumber homeowners in Williams Lake trust most. After so many years in business, we’ve seen every possible effect the cold weather here can have on your plumbing. And our impressive list of testimonials will show that you can’t go wrong by calling us for help. So, if a pipe freezes in your Williams Lake home or you want some upgrades to prevent that, contact Burgess Plumbing Heating & Electrical Co Ltd today!
