Keep The Pipes From Freezing In Your Home
You need to protect your Chattanooga home during cold weather. Frozen pipes can burst and cause water damage that is very expensive to repair. Here are a few things to think about before the cold weather harms your property.
Locate Your Pipes
If your pipes are located next to an outside wall, you’ll need to inspect that wall for cracks and other damage. To keep the cold air away from your pipes, thoroughly caulk all the damaged areas.
Protect Your Pipes
The best way to protect your pipes from freezing and bursting is to insulate the walls where the pipes are located. If that's too expensive, you can buy pipe jackets to cover the pipes. Pipe jackets can be made of plastic foam, wool felt, or fiberglass. They have a lengthwise split down the middle to make them easy to install.
If the area is too small for a pipe jacket, heat tape is a good alternative. Heat tape is applied to the pipe and then plugged into an electrical outlet. It can keep the entire length of the pipe warm, and can be used on faucets and valves as well.
If your Chattanooga home has pipes that are inside cabinets, it’s a good idea to open the cabinet doors to keep warm air circulating around the pipes.
When the weather is really cold, you can turn the water faucets on just slightly so water drips out. The open tap decreases the amount of air pressure that can build up when water freezes, and reduces the risk of your pipes bursting.
Drain Your Pipes
If you’re planning on taking an extended trip during the cold weather season, or if you have a vacation home you don't visit often in the winter, you should drain the water system. Just shut off the main valve, and turn on all the water faucets until the water stops running. When that’s done, leave one hot water faucet and one cold-water faucet open. Pour a little RV antifreeze into each drain and the toilet, and your Chattanooga home is ready for the cold weather.
If you're ready to buy a new home that is so well insulated you won't have to worry about bursting pipes, give me a call. I can help you find the perfect home to keep you warm this winter.
