In Indianapolis, frigid temperatures are typical, and that means the potential for frozen and cracked pipes. At Service Plus Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we, unfortunately, have seen our fair share of frozen pipes and want to equip our Indianapolis-area customers better.
There are a handful of things you can do as a homeowner to prepare your pipes for winter and steer away from frustration and expensive repair bills. Here are some tips from Service Plus:
Add more insulation
While all pipes are at risk of freezing during the winter, those placed in exterior walls are more likely to give you trouble. To help prevent this, add a bit more insulation to the walls surrounding the pipes. This also includes lines located in the attic, in crawl spaces, and in garages.
Keep the doors to your cabinets open
During a deep freeze, for those sinks and faucets placed on exterior walls, it is best to open the cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate. This can also help to keep your pipes from freezing.
Let the faucet drip
We’re all about conserving water, but a few drops of warm water can help prevent pipes from freezing. Since the water is in a constant state of movement due to the drip, it will be harder to freeze.
Seal cracks and openings
Before negative wind chills set in, check your home for openings that could cause a cool draft inside your home. These would be windows, doorframes, walls, and floors.
Keep your heat on
While you’re away from your home for an extended period, you may be tempted to turn your heat off to save money, but this could cause significant problems. The rule of thumb is to keep your thermostat set to at least 55 degrees to keep your pipes safe.
Keep interior doors open
To prevent pipes from freezing, keep interior doors open to circulate heat evenly throughout your home. This will help temperatures in bedrooms and bathrooms from becoming too cool and pose a frozen pipe risk.
We hope you don’t need pipe repair this winter with the help of these tips, but if you do, don’t hesitate to call our plumbing team of professionals at Service Plus at (317) 434-2627.