How To Keep Your Pipes From Exploding This Winter

Publication date : 1. October 2020 Shana Yuri

Homeowners everywhere have to worry about all sorts of potential mishaps that can damage their property, including the possibility of their pipes freezing and exploding.

As the weather cools, the hoses tend to freeze and eventually burst, but this can be avoided through intelligent maintenance.

However, many homeowners suffer from burst pipes precisely because they don’t know what to look for or how to react to the first signs of frost.

How can you make sure your home doesn’t suffer from winter weather?

Here’s how to prevent your pipes from bursting this winter, and what you need to know if you want to preserve the function and value of your home.

1. Why the hoses burst

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Why do pipes freeze in the winter?

The answer is simple: water expands when it freezes. The tricky answer is that as water approaches freezing point, it slowly but surely begins to expand, increasing the overall pressure in the piping system.

If too much water starts to freeze, the pressure in the pipes increases further and eventually becomes too high for the pipe material.

A massive pressure burst in these pipes can cause massive damage to your property, especially if they continue to leak water after the explosion.

To be a responsible homeowner, it’s important to know why the cold is putting your pipes at risk. It’s not just a problem you have to deal with once or twice, it’s a recurring problem that can permanently affect your home and cost you dearly.

After all, replacing pipes is not an easy task because it can lead to the destruction of walls, floors or other elements of your home, which in itself is very expensive.

Ice usually has a larger volume than water, so even a small amount of water, when it freezes, can become enough ice to increase the pressure in your pipes to the point of bursting.

Curiously, the pipes split longitudinally for the same reason as the sausages. The hoop tension principle is more important than the longitudinal tension principle, but you don’t have to worry about it unless you like mechanics.

For homeowners, the most important information is that your frozen pipes will eventually leak, burst and potentially cost thousands of dollars in expensive repairs.

2. Line breakage protection

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How do you prevent burst pipes?

It is important to not only remember these strategies, but also to inform other family members, because even one person’s neglect can lead to a burst pipe that costs everyone their comfort and safety.

One of the most important tips to remember is that opening the valve prevents the pipes from freezing. It is not necessary to turn the tap on all the way; a few drops here and there are enough to keep the water moving in the pipes.

Once the water is moving in the pipe, it is much less likely to freeze, reducing the chance of pressure build-up and pipe breakage.

And don’t forget the outdoor taps. If you have a home with a nice yard that depends on a hose, you probably haven’t given it much thought given the recent winter weather.

However, the faucet in this house must be turned on before even a small drop is produced, as this can prevent the outside pipes (or some in the house) from bursting. In other words: Don’t think you only have to worry about the pipes in your home.

You should also consider other remedies, such as. B. Inflatable pipe plugs, especially if you live in an area that is particularly susceptible to pests and frost that can threaten your pipes.

You also need to open the cabinet doors. This may sound strange, but it is actually very important: Opening your closet doors will allow the warm air in your home to circulate better (even in the closets).

Kitchen or bathroom cabinet doors (under the sink, for example) can obstruct the flow of warm air and touch the pipes in these cabinets.

By opening your cabinet doors, you allow warm air to circulate through your pipes, keeping them warm and preventing the dreaded freeze.

There are also emergency measures you should consider if you are sure your pipes are in danger of freezing.

3. When things go wrong

What piping strategies can you rely on when things get complicated? Wrapping the tubes with a warm, damp cloth is an option, but it is not particularly effective.

Use a hair dryer or similar device that releases hot air quickly, as it can be applied directly to the pipes to heat them.

But beware, this can use a lot of electricity and create a fire hazard if adults don’t take care of it. Still, it’s probably much cheaper than repairing pipes when they burst.

Learn how to spot frozen pipes before they burst by trying this remedy. You should also note that if your pipes are frozen,
you should turn off the water as soon as possible; if your pipes have burst and
water is still on, broken pipes can now flood areas of your home.

You know that broken pipes are a serious problem that costs countless homeowners dearly every winter. If you learn to recognize pipes before they freeze, you can avoid this tragedy.

Sometimes, however, you have to be proactive. Be sure to open the cabinets, drain the faucets and turn off the water at the first sign of a hose break.

With this information, you and your loved ones can avoid the devastating and costly tragedy of a burst pipe this winter.

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