Even though the Boston area doesn’t always have weeks of freezing temps, it is a great idea to be extra careful in order to prevent pipes from freezing or breaking.
Winter is tough on plumbing especially when the temperature drops below freezing (30 degrees). A burst pipe can cost a home or business owner thousands of dollars in damage and fees. Ensuring that your pipes are winterized will help to keep them from freezing and then erupting in a watery costly mess in your home or office. It only takes a small bit of prep work to help keep your property warm and dry and prevent these costly expenses from occurring.
Pipes become unstable as the temperature drops to freezing, the water expands and can break the walls of the pipe. Once the climate starts to heat up, the water melts and you get the ugly mess of water damage and costly fees from technicians that will have to be called for to fix the issue.
It is important to call one of our Boston plumbing experts immediately when a water pipe bursts in a home or office (as some home insurance companies will not pay for DIY repairs, if there is damage to the home). It is also important to know exactly what your insurance company will and will not cover in these types of emergencies.
Old homes are more likely to have frozen pipes than new homes, however, it can happen to anyone. It depends on where the pipes are located and the amount of insulation the pipes have, as well as the weakness of the metal or plastic spots on the pipes that may not be insulated. These particular pipes are ones that will be more apt to burst than ones that are strong and/or insulated.
What to Do When the Pipes Burst in Your Home
When the temperature does drop and pipes burst in your home or office, here is your handy-dandy checklist:
- Turn off your water and, if possible, turn off your power – This can be done by shutting off the home’s main water supply. You should know where your main shut of valve is before issues arise. However, if you live in condos or apartments, ensure that you contact your building superintendent, manager or landlord about the water issue.
- Call a local Boston plumber- Always have an experts number handy, one that is available 24 hours a day since burst pipes CANNOT wait for a specialist to arrive. Plumbers 911 is available 24/7 to ensure that the issue is fixed quickly and efficiently.
- Begin to get rid of any water- Fluid left behind by water can cause mold and mildew that is dangerous to humans. Use buckets, plenty of towels, wet/dry vacuum, and even fans can help to dry and pull up the water from carpets and floors.
- Call your insurance company- Letting your insurance company know ahead of time what is going on is a good idea as they may have other steps that you need to take to ensure you are covered for any damages that may have occurred.
To prevent issues with your lines, it is best to winterize your pipes which will help to lower the possibility of having a pipe burst in your home or office. One of our contractors will be able to help get your pipes ready for winter and stop the potential costly repairs that come with burst pipes.
What Can Our Boston Plumbers Do to Help Winterize Your Home?
Your pipes are an important system in your home they help to carry water to and from your home. In the winter if a pipe freezes and bursts this system fails, and can cause costly repairs for the property owner. Ensuring that your pipes are well-insulated will help to keep them from freezing even a smidgeon of air can allow a pipe to freeze.
A technician can replace or add insulation to your pipes that which includes pipes that are outside as they are particularly vulnerable as well. They can also ensure any cracks are fixed so that the pipes aren’t weak. Weak pipes are more apt to burst. Having a licensed contractor also flush the water from your sprinkler systems and even your outside kitchen hose lines will help them to keep from freezing.
There are a few things that you can do to help decrease the possibility of freezing during the winter inside and outside your home:
- Always keep the heat on if you are leaving home.
- Keep the garage door closed to help keep heat in if your laundry room or a bathroom is close to it.
- Small space heaters will help circulate and give heat to bathrooms that have pipes running along outside walls.
- Drip faucets when the temperature is expected to drop below freezing especially on faucets near an exterior wall. This will eliminate pressure between the faucet and a possible ice blockage so a pipe may not burst.
- Ensure crawl spaces, and any cracks in the foundation or walls are sealed off to keep cold air from coming into the home.
- Call us to winterize your water system inside and out.
- Use spigot covers on your outside spigots.
Why Choose Plumbers 911 as Your Boston Plumber
There are many reasons to use our technicians for any issues you may have with your water system. The most important is safety if you are unsure of what you are doing with your water system it can make matters much worse, a licensed and well-trained specialist can ensure that your issues are taken care of quickly and safely.
We are available 24/7 at your convenience when you have an issue we can be there in most cases around an hour or less. Our technicians and specialists are highly trained and up to date on all the latest technological advances in plumbing as well as the tools to use to repair burst pipes in Boston.
So, before winter gets here, have your local Boston plumbing specialist winterize your pipes now to prevent any costly issues from taking place.
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