How to Prevent Your St. Louis Pipes from Freezing
Understanding what causes your pipes to freeze
Each winter, hundreds of Americans who live in areas of cold weather suffer a similar fate. Improper maintenance or outright age leads to the freezing and potential bursting of numerous pipes and drains throughout your home or business. Burst pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage but can be prevented through regular maintenance and preventive action.
Five helpful tips for preventing pipe freeze:
- Close your garage doors, especially if there are water lines in the garage.
- Open cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing systems.
- Regularly running water through the pipe helps prevent pipes from freezing.
- Set your thermostat to the same temperature during day and night.
- If you plan to be away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
What to do if your pipes are already experiencing freezing
If your Missouri home or business is already experiencing pipe freezing, it is not too late to solve the problem and save your pipes. Running your water regularly and keeping the temperature of your structure consistent throughout the day and night is a viable solution to de-freezing frozen pipes. As the water heats the frozen pipe and the ice plug begins to melt, you will be able to see the water flowing through. Running water through the pipe, as cold as it is, will help melt ice in the pipe.
Using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, or a portable space heater, apply heat to the section of pipe. Alternatively, wrap the pipes with towels soaked in hot water.
Check all other faucets in your home to see whether you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.
At Nu Flow St. Louis, we serve all your pipe maintenance needs
In the event that your pipe or drain system is frozen, you can always call Nu Flow St. Louis to provide solutions to any drainage issue.
