4 Tips to Help You Prepare Your Plumbing System for Winter

Now that fall has finally arrived, and winter is right around the corner, it is time to start putting some thought into what needs to be done around your house to prepare for the coming cold weather. While there are a number of areas that can benefit from your attention this fall, your plumbing system should be right up there near the top of the list. As the temperatures start to drop further and further over the coming months, the risk to your plumbing system is only going to increase, and in addition to facing major inconveniences, the risk is also present that certain aspects of your plumbing system could be completely destroyed if the conditions are right. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get a jump start on preparing your home’s plumbing system for the coming winter now in the fall. To help you in this task, our team of professionals have taken the time to put together this short list detailing a few of the more helpful tips we have collected over our years of service to ensure that your home’s plumbing system gets the protection it needs.

Get Any Leaks Fixed

When it comes to preparing your home’s plumbing system for winter, one of the first and most important things to get done first is to have any existing leaks in your system repaired. While it is possible to do this yourself, it is much easier to call in a professional to have them get the job done. Even the smallest of leaks can cause major problems for your system in the winter if the temperatures get low enough. Any leaking areas of your pipes are natural weak spots, and as the water in your pipes start to expand as the temperatures get colder, these leaking areas can be a natural spot for the pipe to burst from the increased pressure. Not only is this highly inconvenient, but it can also be quite expensive to get fixed. Taking the time now to have any leaks in your system professionally repaired can save you a lot of time, money, and headache in the coming winter months.

Insulate Your Pipes

Another thing you are going to want to do this fall before the temperatures start to drop is to make sure that any exposed pipes around your home are properly insulated. This usually consists of wrapping said pipes in an insulation foam, and again, if you aren’t confident doing this yourself, a plumbing professional would be more than willing to help. This will help to reduce the chance that your pipes will freeze and burst in the coming winter, and can also help you save on your water heating costs.

Winterize Your Outdoor Faucets

Forgetting to turn off any outdoor faucets or appliances can result in serious damage to your plumbing system in the coming winter if those pipes were to freeze. To help prevent this, you are going to want to make sure that you drain and disconnect any hoses or the like that might be attached to your outdoor faucets and store them away somewhere safe for the winter. Next, you are going to want to make sure that these exposed pipes themselves are fully drained of any water that might freeze and expand during the winter, and the best way to do this is usually to completely shut off the water supply to these particular faucets.

Find Your Water Main

In the event that a pipe does burst on your this winter, you are going to want to be prepared, and the first step in preparedness is knowing where your water main is. Knowing ahead of time where to find your water main will ensure that you are able to quickly shut off the water in the event of an emergency to help minimize the damage as you wait for repairs. Additionally, if you are going to be out of your home for any length of time during the winter months, it might be a good idea to go ahead and shut it off as well to help prevent the risk of any pipes bursting while you are away.