Winter Plumbing Maintenance Tips

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Winter Plumbing Maintenance Tips

Not only can the winter cold be uncomfortable for many when they step outside, but the season can also bring heating and plumbing problems indoors. As a homeowner, frozen or burst pipes, damaged water heaters, and clogged drains can be a huge inconvenience and expensive fix, but they are also common problems many face during the winter months.

We include tips below to preventing common winter plumbing problems, but they won’t guarantee a problem-free winter. Should a plumbing emergency arise, call The Plumbing Works for superior service.

Act Now to Prevent Frozen Pipes

What’s one plumbing issue that most homeowners fear every winter? Burst pipes.

If pipes become too cold, the water inside of them can expand, raising the pressure, and causing the pipes to rupture under the stress. Not only do frozen pipes restrict your water supply, but when they burst and the ice thaws, your home can flood and you can be left with property damage and a hefty bill. There are several steps you can take to try to prevent frozen and burst pipes, including periodically running hot water from faucets, turning up your home’s heat, opening cabinet doors, and adding insulation or heating tape to pipes.

Keep Hot Water Flowing

Think of all the times throughout the day that you use hot water at your home. Whenever you shower, wash your hands, and wash your dishes, you rely on your water heater to efficiently and effectively heat your water supply. But water heater failure is a common problem in the winter months.

Since water lines are chilled and the water entering the hot water heater is much colder during winter months, the heater must use more energy and time to heat up the water. Make sure to space out the frequency of showers during the winter, giving at least ten minutes in between showers. If you’re not getting enough hot water or the temperature won’t get as high as it once did, your hot water heater may be failing.

Protecting Your Drain from Clogs

With the winter months comes holiday parties and family dinners. Many families open their home to additional guests, which puts a strain on the plumbing system.

Along with added stress to the bathroom plumbing systems, the kitchen drain can be susceptible to having leftover food scraps and grease thrown down the sink during family holiday dinners. This can then clog the drain. Some may believe that if grease, fats, or oils are poured down the sink with hot water, the grease liquifies and it passes through the plumbing system without any problems, but in fact, once the grease enters the pipes, it cools and hardens, blocking the pipes. Instead, make sure to dump the leftover bones from the turkey dinner and grease into the garbage can before washing the dishes. Garbage disposals are not intended to dispose of hard food scraps.

The Plumbing Works is Here For You

No one wants to anticipate a plumbing problem arising in the winter, but everyone should be prepared. If you notice any signs of a frozen or burst pipe, clogged drain, or damaged water heater, call The Plumbing Works immediately. We offer 24-hour assistance, 7 days a week because plumbing emergencies can occur at anytime and sometimes without warning.

We provide assistance in the Reading and surrounding areas and are happy to identify the problem and resolve it in a quick, timely manner and for an affordable price. Call The Plumbing Works at (610) 615-0725 for access to our emergency team.