When the next cold season arrives, the pipes in your home are at risk of damage from freezing conditions. Low temperatures can cause your water pipes to freeze, and in some cases burst. The following tips can help you safeguard your home before, during and after a pipe freezes.
- Disconnect all gardening hoses and install covers on all outside faucets.
- Keep your house temperature at 68 degrees or higher, even if you’re leaving the house for an extended period of time.
- Open cabinet doors below sinks to allow heat from the home to circulate.
- Identify the location of the main water valve and the valve on your water heater. (Learning the location of these valves may come in handy during an emergency.)
- Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or with heating tape. This can prevent freezing, especially for interior pipes that run along outside walls.
- Close all windows near water pipes; cover or close open-air vents. Freezing temperatures combined with wind drafts can cause pipes to freeze more frequently.
- Heat your basement and consider weather sealing your windows.
- Insulate outside walls and unheated areas of your home.
- If you plan to be away from home for an extended period of time, shut off water supply valves to your washing machine.
- The best solution to preventing your pipes from freezing is to simply install innovative eco-friendly and patented technology known the Hot Water Lobster Instant Hot water Valve (installation is a breeze-no pipe cutting, soldering or electrical connections). It uses your existing water pipes and the thermal convection generated by your water heater to circulate the water back to your water heater for reheating (not requiring a pump or any electricity). To save hot water and save energy, these hot water recirculating systems are temperature-controlled and are easily adjustable to meet your particular temperature needs. There is no water waste and it also reduces the energy required to heat your water while it provides faster hot water to your faucets and showers. Just this trickle of water circulating in your pipes will keep your pipes from freezing in most circumstances.
