4 Plumbing Service Tips For Protecting Your Plumbing In Frigid Weather | Midlothian, TX
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Although most people think of sunshine and warmth when they think of Texas, the truth is that the temperature can drop below zero in Midlothian, TX during the winter. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not take proper precautions to protect their plumbing from frigid weather. As a result, they’re usually not ready for the consequences that follow as well.
It’s important to protect your plumbing when the temperature drops. If the water freezes, it will expand and rupture the pipes. A burst waterline can be incredibly expensive to repair, and the plumbing service may take some time. You might have to move into a hotel while the plumbing company fixes the issue.
In this article, we’ll look at four different ways that you can protect your plumbing. Some of these things you can do by yourself. Others will require the help of a plumbing service.
#1. Insulate Above-Ground Pipes
The best way to protect your plumbing is to insulate above-ground pipes. These pipes are the most susceptible to freezing. In particular, you want to insulate pipes that are found in the crawlspace, attic and basement. You especially want to insulate the ones that are located outside of the home, like the shut-off valve and the main water line.
In general, this isn’t a job that you want to tackle by yourself. You’re more likely to make a mistake than a plumbing service. The plumber will inspect your home in order to assess what type of installation may be best suited for different areas. There are many different types of insulation.
Many plumbing services will use a self-seal rubber insulation because it offers the best value for its price. This type of insulation is not only durable, but also energy efficient, as it can expand and contract based on temporal shifts. Other popular types of insulation include tubular polyethylene foam and foil and foam insulation.
#2. Keep the Cabinets Open
This is a unique trick that you might learn from many plumbing services. When the weather starts to get cold, you should consider leaving the cabinet doors open at night. This only takes several minutes of your time. You can even turn it into a nighttime routine.
Opening the cabinets will allow warm air inside your home to circulate into the cabinets and warm the cold pipes. Although the air isn’t that much warmer within the home, it might be enough to prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting.
This technique is even more effective if you often turn on the heat in your home when it gets cold. In these situations, the temperature of the air inside your home will be substantially warmer. By opening the cabinets, you can definitely prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting. It’s a simple solution that doesn’t require you to spend any extra money.
#3. Turn on the Faucets
Another simple trick that you can do by yourself is to leave a faucet dripping at the fixture that’s farthest from the main water inlet. You’ll need to figure out where the main water inlet is in order to do this. This trick is not well-received by everyone. Some people don’t feel comfortable with it because they feel like they are wasting water. However, in comparison to having a burst pipe, wasting a little bit of water is a way better option.
In fact, if you look at it this way, you’re not wasting water at all. The plumbing service for fixing a burst pipe will be much higher than your water bill. If the pipes burst, there’s a good chance that it’ll burst in many areas. If this happens, you might need some rather complex plumbing service to fix the issue. You might have to end up moving to a hotel or to a friend’s home until the plumbing service is complete.
#4. Install an Electric Pipe Cable
This isn’t usually a solution that’s recommended for those who live in Midlothian, TX because the temperature doesn’t drop below freezing too often. However, if you want to be safe rather than sorry, you might want to speak with a plumbing company to see whether they would consider installing an electric pipe heating cable.
This type of cable is relatively easy to install and inexpensive to operate. Most importantly, it can save you a lot of headache and heartache in the future. The temperature of the cable is controlled with a thermostat. All you have to do is to wrap this wire around the water pipes, and you can rest assured that nothing is going to freeze or burst. It’s that simple.
Reach Out to Bahama Plumbing for More Information
Some studies have reported that temperatures will drop more and more due to climate change. In several years, it might not be unusual for residents in Texas to experience very cold weather drops below zero on a regular basis during the winter. If you’re worried about this happening, you should definitely look into ways that you can protect your plumbing.
If you’ve already dealt with a burst pipe due to frigid weather, this applies to you even more. You definitely want to protect your pipes so that the same thing doesn’t happen again. You know firsthand just how troublesome this problem can be.
Finding the right plumbing service to help you deal with your concerns can take some time. There are many wonderful plumbing companies in Texas. Due to this reason, you should take your time to research each company in order to get a better idea of what they have to offer, as well as their reputation in the area.
Bahama Plumbing is one of the most highly recommended plumbing companies in Texas. Our plumbers are licensed and insured, and they have a lot of experience in dealing with many different types of plumbing problems.
To contact us at Bahama Plumbing, call 817-908-8781. You can also reach us online. Relax and we’ll deal with the rest.