How to keep your pipes running smoothly through the winter?

As we approach the colder months, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your pipes for winter. As soon the temperatures drop below freezing pipes can freeze creating leaks, blockages, cracks, and in some cases, bursting. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways that home and business owners can prevent their pipes from freezing and lessen the chance of pipe damage throughout the winter months.

Taking preventative measures to prepare your pipes for colder weather will assist you in keeping your family, employees, and customers happy when they have to brave the cold weather.

Here are several ways that residential and commercial properties can keep their pipes from freezing when the winter months cause temperatures to drop:

Insulate pipes

Add a layer of insulation around pipes, especially those which have been previously frozen or are exposed to the elements—as these are more fragile and susceptible to damage. Insulation is the first line of defense against freezing pipes.

Keep faucet dripping

When temperatures drop below freezing, it’s important to keep faucets open. A slow, steady drip will keep pressure from building within the pipes. Although the pipe may still freeze, this small safeguard could prevent it from bursting.

Open cabinet doors

As simple as it may sound, keeping the cabinet doors in the bathroom and kitchen open, during the coldest days of winter, will allow warm air to circulate and warm pipes to keep them from freezing.

Keep the elements out

Close the garage door and fix cracks on external walls to keep the cold away from pipes and plumbing.

Set the thermostat and leave it

It’s imperative to keep the temperature consistent, night and day. Dialing back on heat during a cold snap to save money, may end up costing more in the end. The same is true when leaving the home unattended for a length of time. Set the thermostat to 55° F, so pipes will remain at a constant and not freeze while you are away.

At NGI Trenchless Pipe & Sewer Repair, we are always ready to assist customers in preparing their pipes for winter. In addition to these preventative options, you can also call our plumbing team in Atlanta, GA, or the surrounding area to schedule a drain inspection, cleaning, repair, or replacement to take care of all of your pipeline needs before colder weather causes more serious issues that leave you with costly pipe services. Our team wants home and business owners to stay proactive about their drain health, so they can rely on them all winter long.