Don’t ‘Fall’
Behind on
Plumbing
Maintenance
(ARA) - Cool
autumn
weekends are
ideal for
catching up
on home
maintenance
projects
that were
better
avoided
during the
dog days of
summer. One
item that
should be on
every
homeowner’s
“to do” list
is
protecting
your home’s
plumbing
system
from cold
temperatures,
which can
cause pipes
to freeze
and burst.
Frozen pipes
aren’t just
a problem in
the North.
Houses in
warmer
climates are
also at risk
because they
typically
don’t have
sufficient
insulation
to weather
sudden
winter cold
snaps. And
despite some
claims to
the
contrary,
all plumbing
materials --
including
plastic pipe
-- are at
risk of
damage from
freezing
when
temperatures
plummet
Preventing
’Pipesicles’
Exposed
plumbing in
unheated
basements,
crawl
spaces,
attics and
garages is
most at risk
for
freezing,
according to
Andy Kireta,
Jr.,
national
program
manager for
building
construction
with the
Copper
Development
Association
(CDA).
Copper
tubing,
which is
used to
distribute
fresh water
in the vast
majority of
America’s
homes, can
withstand
expansion
from
freezing
several
times before
bursting.
Tests show
that water
filling a
1/2-inch-diameter
annealed
copper tube
may freeze
as many as
six times,
and 2-inch
pipe up to
11 times,
without
causing
damage.
However,
this does
not mean
homeowners
should allow
their water
lines to be
subjected to
freezing.
Plumbing
freezes
often occur
when a
home’s water
supply is
inactive --
for example,
overnight
when people
in the house
are
sleeping, or
when
everyone is
away from
home on
vacation.
The water
that is
always
present in
your pipes
will freeze
when exposed
long enough
to frigid
temperatures.
This is bad
news for
plumbing
because
extreme cold
makes
materials
brittle and
liquid
expands when
it freezes,
a dangerous
combination
that can
cause all
types of
plumbing
tube to
crack or
burst open,
spilling
water
everywhere.
Fortunately,
there are
solutions to
help prevent
pipes from
freezing.
These
include the
following:
* Wait for a
windy day
and do a
thorough
inspection
of your home
(especially
the
basement) to
determine
where air is
getting in.
Wherever you
find gaps,
apply
inexpensive
caulking
compound to
seal small
leaks or use
expanding
aerosol foam
insulation
for larger
openings. If
you can feel
the wind
blow in a
ventilated
crawl space
or attic,
apply
insulation
only around
the pipes to
avoid
trapping
moisture in
these areas.
* Local home
centers and
hardware
stores sell
pipe
insulation
sleeves that
protect
plumbing
tube from
the cold.
Buy the
proper sizes
matched to
the
diameters of
the pipes
you need to
protect.
(Plumbers
caution that
pipes can
still freeze
with these
products, so
make sure
you’ve also
plugged any
leaks where
cold air is
entering the
house.)
* For
plumbing
elbows,
where two
pieces of
pipe join
together at
a 90-degree
angle, wrap
fiberglass
insulation
around the
pipe and
secure with
duct tape.
(This is an
important
area to
protect
because
freeze
breaks
frequently
happen at
joints,
elbows and
tees.)
* If your
kitchen sink
is located
on an
outside
wall, leave
cabinet
doors under
the sink
open during
cold spells
to help keep
pipes warm.
A layer of
foam
insulation
board fitted
tightly
against the
back wall of
the cabinet
will also
keep the
cold from
seeping
through to
the pipes.
* Make sure
you don’t
leave any
windows open
in a
basement
near exposed
pipes.
Before
temperatures
drop, you
should also
disconnect
and drain
garden
hoses, as
well as
swimming
pool and
lawn
sprinkler
water supply
lines, and
shut off the
water supply
to all
outdoor
water
spigots. The
water
shutoff
valve for
outdoor
spigots is
located
inside the
house --
usually in a
basement or
crawl space.
Leave the
spigots open
to drain any
water that
may be in
the line.
Thawing Out
If you do
get a frozen
pipe, use
only the
amount of
heat from a
hair dryer,
heat gun or
vacuum
cleaner to
thaw it.
Never use a
propane
torch. Fires
can start
this way
when heat or
sparks
ignite
flammable
items
nearby.
Before
applying
heat, open
the fixture
or faucet
that is
affected by
the frozen
pipe to
allow steam
created
during
thawing to
escape.
Gradually
warm the
pipe by
moving the
heat source
slowly over
the entire
length of
pipe,
starting at
the faucet
end.
Electrical
heat tapes
also may be
used to thaw
frozen
pipes, or to
protect
exposed
plumbing
lines at
risk from
freezing.
Courtesy of
ARA Content
