Why It’s an Issue with Pipe Freezing?
One peculiar characteristic of water is that it expands when it freezes. Anything holding it in place, such as metal or plastic pipes, is under extreme strain from this expansion. Expanding water has the potential to shatter pipes, regardless of how sturdy the container is. Know more about https://www.newwestplumbing.ca/burnaby.html
The most often freezing pipes are:
water sprinkler lines, swimming pool supply lines, and outdoor hose bibs are examples of pipes that are subjected to extreme cold. Water supply pipes in interior unheated locations such as crawl spaces and basements, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. P ipes that are in contact with external walls with minimal or no insulation.
How to Prevent Freezing of Pipes
According to the manufacturer’s or installer’s instructions, drain the water from the swimming pool and the sprinkler supply lines. Unless instructed, do not put antifreeze in these lines. In addition to being bad for the environment, antifreeze poses a risk to people, animals, pets, and landscaping.
Outdoor hoses should be taken out, drained, and stored. Shut off the interior valves that supply hose bibs outside. To let the water out, open the exterior hose bibs. To prevent the pipe from breaking and to allow any leftover water to expand, keep the outside valve open.
Insulate crawl spaces, basements, and attics. Higher temperatures will be maintained in these places via insulation.
Look for other locations within the house where water supply lines are situated in colder climates. Examine the garage and behind the cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom. Water pipes in these places, both hot and cold, need to be insulated.
It is advisable to put specialised items such as “pipe sleeve” or UL-listed “heat tape,” “heat cable,” or comparable materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper may insulate and shield exposed pipes to some extent; in regions where temperatures below freezing are uncommon or short-lived, even ¼” of newspaper can offer substantial protection.
Ways to Avoid Freezing Pipes
If the garage has water supply lines, keep the garage doors closed.
Open the cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathroom to let warmer air near the plumbing flow. Make sure that any dangerous home chemicals and cleansers are kept up and out of children’s reach.
How to Rehydrate Cold Pipes
If the tap just drips when you turn it on, you may have a frozen pipe. Frozen pipes are most commonly located against external walls or where your home’s foundation allows water to enter your home.
Maintain the open tap. Water will start to flow through the frozen section of the pipe as you treat it and the frozen region melts. The ice in the pipe will melt more quickly if water is run through it.
To determine whether you have any more frozen pipes, examine every other tap in your house. It’s possible for other pipes to freeze if one freezes.
