During freezing temperatures, your home's piping system should be maintained so you do not put your home at risk of damage due to the result of a burst. Summer or fall is the best time to do your initial preparations for the following cold season as you will have plenty of time to grab items needed to help keep your pipes from breaking when winter hits. Here are some steps you can take to protect your piping system from unfortunate breakage when cooler weather sets in.

Add Insulation To Keep Pipes Warm

When weather gets cold, your pipes will fare better with a layer of insulation on their exterior surfaces. Hardware and plumbing supply stores sell a variety of products that work well at keeping cool temperatures away from your pipes. Many use foam sleeves to cover pipes. These can be easily slid over the pipes to help keep the water inside from turning into ice. Another choice that works well is insulating tape. This is wrapped around pipes to help keep the water inside from freezing. In a pinch you can cover pipes at risk for freezing with newsprint pieces or articles of clothing.

Keep Outdoor Pipes From Bursting

To keep pipes in your garage from bursting, turn off the water supply to the exterior of your home. First, turn off the water valve from inside the garage by tightening it to the right. Outdoors, remove any hoses or sprinklers from the spigots and store them in a shed or garage until weather warms again. Turn the spigots to the left so any water in the pipe will drip out of the faucet instead of becoming trapped inside, possibly causing a burst if conditions get too cold.

Make Sure Indoor Piping Stays Heated

To help keep interior pipes from bursting, make sure they have a source of heat nearby to keep them from freezing up. This would pertain most for pipes in cooler locations such as under sinks or in a crawl space. Open under-the-sink cabinet doors when temperatures are expected to be exceptionally cool so your home's heating will make its way to the pipes. A space heater can be placed in a crawl space to help warm the pipes if freezing temperatures are present outdoors. 

Let Faucets Drip When Weather Is Cool

Instead of tightening the valves on your sinks or tubs when weather is cool, let some water drip from them so there is a constant water flow moving through the piping system. This will slow down the freezing process, helping to keep your pipes intact if you fear a freeze-up. Contact a plumber in your area for more information. 

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