As we prepare for frigid weather, homeowners are wondering how they can keep their home safe and protected from these icy temperatures. Freezing pipes are one of the most common plumbing disasters, going hand-in-hand with winter. With lows in the single digits, there is more urgency to take preventative measures against frozen piping in your home’s plumbing! Here are some simple tips that can help you stay ahead of the game!

1. Let faucets drip overnight. Allowing a slow, constant drip of warm water from your faucet to create water flow. This will help in preventing the possibility of water freezing in those pipes.

2. Open cabinet doors. Although this might seem silly, opening the cabinet doors in your kitchen can help heat reach non-insulated pipes that are located under sinks or behind exterior walls, allowing heat from your home to help prevent freezing.

3. Disconnect garden hoses. Disconnecting your hoses from outdoor spigots in the winter will prevent the water inside from freezing and continuing back into the spigot, reaching the connecting pipes.

4. Insulate pipes. Pipes can be insulated with heat tape to keep them warm as the temperatures drop. You can purchase the tape at a hardware store and wrap it yourself, being sure to cover as much as you can.

5. Thaw the pipes. Finally, if you realize your pipes are already frozen, despite precautions taken, use a space heater or hair dryer to melt the ice.

A burst pipe can be the cause of a huge inconvenience as well as a financial burden. If you have taken steps to prevent freezing pipes, and something still goes wrong, call in F.H. Furr. We specialize in all things plumbing, and we will send a plumber to your home for free*, absolutely no dispatch fee. Your home and family are your most valued possessions. Keep them safe by maintaining your plumbing this winter!