THE DANGERS OF A FROZEN PIPE

Dealing With Frozen Pipes

Why Does A Plumbing System Freeze?

Even though a plumbing system is usually installed properly, and is well put together, the system can freeze during cold weather. Once the temperature hits 31°F or lower, you are at risk of having your pipes freeze. Pipes freeze because there is not enough insulation to keep them warm, and prevent the freezing. Without enough warmth in the home, the pipes can eventually cause you to hire bust pipe repair services.

The overall cause of freezing pipes is the lack of warmth around the pipes, and the inability to stop the cold from freezing the pipes. Depending on what type of pipes you have installed in your home, they are more likely to freeze than other types of installed piping. Extreme cold weather can’t be prevented, but frozen pipes can be prevented.

How Can I Prevent This?

It is possible to prevent pipes from freezing if you take preventative measures beforehand. If you wait until it gets too cold outside, you may end up with frozen pipes, before you realize that they can freeze. If you’ve had a problem with frozen pipes in the past, examine what the reason for this was. If there is no insulation around the piping, it’s time to do some restoration in the home, and have insulation installed around your pipes. Although this may include cutting into the walls, if you hire a company to do this, you can have it done professionally.

Other suggestions are to wrap foam insulation around open pipes, such as pipes underneath a kitchen or bathroom sink. If it’s already too late, and the pipes have frozen in these areas, and the water will not run; turn on a space heater and blow it underneath the sink to warm up the pipes. A blow dryer as well, can work to unfreeze a frozen pipe. Using electric heat tape to wrap around a pipe, can also help to prevent freezing, and by keeping the home warm.

Why Is It Important To Keep This From Happening?

If you’ve never had a frozen pipe burst, you may not understand the importance of keeping your pipes from freezing. When water freezes in the pipes, they expand 9%, which in turn, can crack the pipes. Once the water begins to melt, it will start leaking, and cause flooding. Because of the damage that broken pipes can cause, it’s always best to maintain your pipes and keep them from freezing.

Is the cold Los Angeles winter making you think about the security of your plumbing system? Call Fix It Fast Plumbing today at (805) 623-4417 for top quality frozen pipe services.