Keep the following tips in mind to protect the plumbing in Loveland, CO in winter.
Insulate Pipes and Hose Bibs
It is one of the simplest ways in which one can protect the pipes throughout the coldest time of the year. When temperatures drop, water can freeze inside pipes and outdoor hose bibs. As most people recall, water expands when it freezes.
If any water in pipes freezes, and it expands enough, it can cause pipes to burst. That can lead to extensive damage, not just to pipes but to property at large. The last thing one wants to wake up to on a winter morning is a flooded basement.
Insulating pipes with cheap, easy-to-install sleeves is a breeze. Covering hose bibs with insulating caps after shutting off the water to those outlets is also a great precautionary measure.
The Trickle Trick
No one wants to wastewater that one is paying for. They want to be environmentally-friendly. But, if one has issues with freezing pipes in the past, they’ll understand that this isn’t wasting water. It’s using it for preventative purposes.
When one keeps even a tiny trickle of water moving through taps, one is helping to keep water from freezing in those pipes.
Allow for Airflow
This one is maybe the easiest of all, though it may make the home a bit unkempt when in practice. Have pipes passing under cabinetry, or behind closet doors? Open them up.
These spaces may be uninsulated, and they may be a lot colder than the living space. Opening doors and drawers can help to facilitate airflow around these pipes. That can go a long way toward keeping water flowing through them reliably. Of course, even the most careful homeowners can’t avoid plumbing problems 100% of the time.
