Why is frozen pipes a problem for homeowners?

Water has a unique property that lets it expand while it freezes.

This expansion can put tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes.

Expanding water can cause pipes to crack or even brake.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are:

• Outdoor hose bibs
• Swimming pool supply lines
• Water sprinkler lines
• Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas
  • Basements
  • Crawl Spaces
  • Attics
  • Garages
  • Kitchen Cabinets
• Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Before the onset of cold weather, prevent freezing of these water supply lines and pipes by following these recommendations:

• Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
• Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
• Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a “pipe sleeve” or installing UL-listed “heat tape,” “heat cable,” or similar materials on exposed water pipes.

Ideas to keep pipes warm

Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.

When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.

Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.

If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

To Thaw Frozen Pipes

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.

Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.

Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.

Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.

Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

To find out more please go to http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/winter-storm/preventing-thawing-frozen-pipes

Or call your local Plumber

Perhaps the most important task to tend to after a flood or fire damage to your home is water damage restoration. It can be devastating when water damages your home because the process not only involves draining excess water, but also repairing parts and items that have been soaked in water for a long time and restoring them to their original state.

What is important when this happens is to make sure that the clean-up, repair and restoration gets started and completed as soon as possible following the damage. When time is limited and you are confused about the mess, the best thing to do is to hire a professional water damage restoration contractor within 24 hours of the event. There are many benefits to hiring a licensed contractor over doing the project yourself. Some of them are described below in detail.

Water damage restoration is quick and easy with professional service

Hiring a contractor can meet any challenge pertaining water damage. These professionals do the entire process of cleanup and restoration quickly and without hassles because they carry the necessary equipment to complete the job. Furthermore, they employ many workers to get it done quickly and handle several aspects of damage as well.

Water damage restoration professionals prevent mold and mildew growth

Professionals know the techniques to prevent mold and mildew from growing on walls, cabinets, windows, doors, basements and other places where water has made its way. They use industrial grade cleaners and safe disinfectants to ensure there is no danger from these elements to you or your family’s health in the future.

If untreated or handled by you, you will be risking health and property value, so it is always best left to professionals. They will take care of preliminary water damage and make sure secondary water damage in the form of potentially harmful fungi never happens.

Professionals offer extra benefits

Some contractors offer reconstruction help as part of their restoration services or they are in partnership with other professionals to do it. Whenever you hire people to work on your water damage project, take the time to research them. Ask professionals for as many references as possible and get at least three verified. Make sure that they meet your requirements. No one likes to crunch numbers but having a budget is another way to determine the scope of the project.

Having water in your basement can cause major problems for your home. The humidity can cause wood to warp and damage the infrastructure, and if left unchecked, can erode the foundation of your home. The good news is that taking care of water in your basement is typically very easy and can be handled by your local professionals. Let’s go over some of the ways that a water damage restoration company can help remove the water from your basement, and some tips on how to prevent your basement from flooding or suffering leakage in the first place.

Getting Rid of Water in the Basement

Basements exist underground, which makes them very susceptible to flooding during heavy rain, or when rivers/lakes overflow. Dealing with major flooding like this is usually handled by the sump pump to remove excess water. Many people seem to think that a sump pump can help prevent flooding, but this isn’t the case most of the time. The purpose of the sump pump is to collect water from around the foundation, and redirect it away from your foundation. Trying to use it while the basement is still in the process of flooding may not be successful depending on how fast the water is coming in, and where you’re pumping the excess water.

If the water levels aren’t massively high, sometimes the problem can be handled with a wet/dry vacuum. This can be dangerous if there are electrical devices in the basement though so your best bet is to call the professionals to handle things for you.

Preventing Your Basement from Flooding

There are several ways to avoid flooding in your basement, some more expensive and complicated than others. The most obvious way is to not build your house or buy a house in an area that is known to flood. If this isn’t an option at this point, you’ll have to look into other options. One such option is having a check valve installed. This will get the water out of your basement when it floods and move it into the sewer. If the sewer is flooded it will hold onto it until it can be disposed of.

Another option is to use a back flow pipe. Basically the pipe will use downward pressure of water that accumulates in the pipe to push out any water that flows into your basement. It may sound complicated but it really isn’t. Regardless of which method you want to use, you should call the professionals to help you get it set up.