Cold weather is upon us! Really cold weather can wreak havoc on indoor plumbing and heating systems. Preparing your home and following a few of these guidelines can help prevent future problems and avert serious damage due to frozen and ruptured pipes.

Here are a few simple suggestions that cost little or no money and can take only a few minutes of your time:

  1. Avoid frozen pipes and let water trickle in sinks, showers, and tubs that are against an outside wall. Run a trickle of water from every faucet. Running water is less likely to freeze.
  2. Shut off and drain down hose bibs and garden hoses. Disconnect garden hoses from hose bib and store away. Most hose bibs have a shut off valve inside the home that can be shut down and drained. Look in basements, crawl spaces, and under sinks. Cover hose bib with insulating jacket.
  3. Make sure there are no drafts on pipes. Close all windows and vents in basements, crawl spaces, and garages.
  4. Insulate all pipes! For long term protection, add insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in those areas. To prevent drafts seal cracks and openings around windows, doors, and at sill plates, where the house rests on its foundation.
  5. Circulate warm air with a fan. Do not shut doors and/or close off parts of the home.
  6. Always keep temperature in house above 50 degrees.
  7. Cover hot water heater with insulating jacket.
  8. Use heat tape on pipes that are susceptible to freezing e.g. located in crawl spaces and garage. Heat tape comes on when the temperature is 34 degrees and shuts off automatically.
  9. If pipe freezes, turn off water at main valve and open faucets to relieve pressure. Use only a blow dryer to thaw a frozen pipe. Do not use a torch.
  10. Know where your main water shut off valve is located! Learn how to turn this valve off! You can view our video here. Different valves work in different ways. Test the valve and make sure it works! Shut it off and open faucets and wait till water comes to a complete stop, if it does not stop 100% than fix or replace. Clear the area that the valve is located in and make accessible at all times. Place a tag on the valve to identify it. If you have the slightest problem with this valve, then it is time to call a licensed plumbing pro and have it replaced.
  11. Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate.
  12. Use a space heater in rooms that are exceptionally cold.
  13. Purchase and have available and electric heater to use in abnormally cold room.
  14. Check your homeowners insurance to make sure you have proper coverage in case of break or flood.
  15. Have a phone number of a licensed plumbing pro handy in case of emergency.
  16. If you plan on being away from home for extended periods then consider installing an automatic shut off valve that will shut your water off to your home when a leak or flood is detected. Learn more by viewing the following: https://reliancedetection.com/products/water-alarms-leak-detection/wired-water-main-shut-off/.

Use this list as a guide and if you need assistance with any of the above then give us a call at (631)-423-2211, click here, or you may email us at irrigationspecialist@rainrich.com. There are certain plumbing items that require special skills such as heating, gas, and sewage. I recommend calling an expert in each field to examine their respective services and equipment.

Rain Rich Sprinklers has been serving Long Island for 39 years and prides itself on providing outstanding service and the best value.