It’s that time of year when the days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are beginning to drop. These are the tell-tale signs that winter is near. As a homeowner, you know it’s important for you to make sure that your home is prepared for the colder weather months, but you’re not so sure where to begin. Aside from obvious tasks like raking leaves and cleaning the gutters, you know there are important things you must do to prepare your home for winter. So what exactly are they?
Experts from Performance Plumbing say that one of the most important things you can do to get your home winter-ready is to prepare your pipes. We get it; you’re not an expert, and that’s okay because we’ve put together four expert tips to help you get started. Here are four easy things you can do to prepare your pipes for winter.
Insulate Your Pipes
Many professionals agree that insulating your pipes is one of the easiest ways to make sure they hold up during freezing temperatures. Not only does insulation help to keep pipes from freezing, but it also helps to reduce heat loss, so you won’t have to wait as long for your water to heat up. This can be very helpful during those cold winter nights. Insulating your pipes can be a DIY project if you’re up for the challenge. If not, you can hire a professional to make sure it’s done the right way. If you choose to DIY, be sure to use the proper materials for your home and pay close attention to the pipes in areas that are quick to freeze, like garages and crawl spaces.
Detach Outdoor Hoses
This is another easy way to make sure your pipes are winterized. Disconnect any hoses that are connected to faucets outside the home and store them away until spring. To be extra safe, you can completely shut off the water supply to those faucets to avoid any accidental dripping.
Heat Your Home
Heating your home is a no-brainer! Of course, as the temperatures begin to decrease, you’ll inevitably need to warm up your home. The key is to make sure that it stays heated. This means even if you leave home for several hours at a time or even days, you’ll need to make sure that your house stays heated. This will help to keep your pipes from freezing. The experts recommend keeping your home heated to 55 degrees or above whenever you’re away.
Let Your Inside Faucets Drip
Here’s another easy tip that anyone can do. On those cold days when temperatures are expected to be below freezing, be sure to let your faucets drip slightly. This helps to prevent any blockages and keeps ice from forming. Experts say that dripping faucets alone may not keep your pipes from freezing but will help to keep them from bursting.
These four tips are easy ways to get started with winterizing your pipes, but there’s more that can be done to protect your home.
Hire an Expert
Winterizing your home may seem like hard work and can feel a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. If DIY is not your thing, or you just want to make sure winterizing is done the right way, you can hire a reliable Plumber in Ball Ground, GA, to help. Winter is coming, so make sure you’re home is ready by calling the experts at Performance Plumbing!
