Prevent Pipes From Bursting This Winter

Winters in Chicagoland are not for the faint of heart! Between the ice, snow, and below freezing wind chills, residents – and their homes – can take a brutal beating during this season. While you may be spending your time trying to get cozy and warm up inside, be sure you are also taking active steps to keep your pipes toasty warm as well. Frozen pipes can create seriously frustrating situations, especially if they burst and cause flooding damage. Here is what you need to know about keeping your pipes from freezing this winter.

Know Your Pipes

Pipes that are well insulated or are safely inside an insulated wall are not at risk for freezing. However, pipes that run along outside facing walls or that are uninsulated are at an increased risk for freezing. Be sure you know where your pipes are located so that you can successfully care for the vulnerable ones. Not sure about your pipes? It’s okay – the team here at Elk Grove Village Sewer and Plumbing are happy to help homeowners out. The more you know, and the more you learn from us, the better you can treat your house and pipes.

Let Faucets Drip

Moving water will not freeze as easily, so allow faucets to drip if they are connected to vulnerable pipes. This can be especially helpful for faucets in your garage or faucets connected to uninsulated pipes.

Keep the Heat On

When you are living full time in your home, keeping the heat on is not a difficult task. After all, you want to be warm too! However, if you have a second home, or if you are going on vacation, you may feel tempted to turn down the heat to conserve energy. Keep your pipes from freezing or bursting by keeping the heat on.

Open the Cabinets

Your pipes are less likely to freeze if heated air is able to circulate around them. The easiest way to accomplish this is to keep cabinets open, allowing for warm air to increase the temperature in the uninsulated cabinet.

If you are worried about your pipes freezing this winter, or if you want to decrease the chance of it happening, give the professionals a call. The team at Elk Grove Village Sewer and Plumbing has years of experience in the area, which means we know cold Chicago winters (and the damage those winters can cause). Give us a call today to talk more about your concerns.