User:Ness Restoration/Winterizing Your Pipes

Damage from frozen and broken water pipes can make it impossible to live in your home and can be very expensive to repair. For a small investment of time and money anyone can reduce energy loss and possibly reduce the horrible experience of a broken or frozen water pipe in the middle of winter.

To winterize your water pipes, the place to start is outside.

Step One: Find all of the places where your water pipes are exposed to the elements; the water faucets attached to the exterior of your house are the most obvious. This is where you will need to focus your weatherizing efforts.

Step Two: Caulk around your pipes

Step Three: Close all foundation vents. Open foundation vents are one of the biggest causes of frozen and split water pipes.

Step Four: Seal around any vent openings by cutting wood or Styrofoam blocks to fit the vent opening and place them in the vents to prevent winter air from entering you house and freezing your pipes.

To protect your outside pipes and faucets from freezing, you need to drain your outside waterlines.

Step One: Remove any hoses you have attached to your outdoor faucets. It is critical to remove any hoses attached to the outside faucet! An attached garden hose is sure recipe for frozen pipe damage this winter.

Step Two: You may have to do some investigating in your home following water-supply lines to try and find the shut-off valve. They are usually located near the outside faucet. In some homes, the outside faucet has a separate shut-off in the basement. If you have a separate valve for outside faucets, shut it off.

Step Three: Go outside and turn on all the faucets to drain the water in the lines…and leave them on.

Step Four: Go back into the house and check your outside shut-off valve for a small brass plug or cap on the valve.

Step Five:  Turn this plug or cap so it opens far enough that water drains from the valve.

Step Six: Turn the plug or cap back to re-tighten the plug or cap

Step Seven: Turn off all the outside faucets.

Keep your pipes from freezing:

Step One: Wrap your faucets and hose bibs. You can use newspaper or rags covered with plastic or you can purchase molded, foam insulated covers from your local plumbing or hardware store.

Step Two: Drain your in-ground sprinkler systems. Make sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the proper way to do this. Winterizing your sprinkler system should include turning off the water supply and blowing compressed air through the sprinkler lines to purge them of water and prevent them from freezing and bursting.

Prevent your internal pipes from freezing and breaking:

Step One: Insulate pipes in unheated areas such as the crawl space, attic, garage or basement.

Step Two: Use insulating tape or molded pipe sleeve (easily found at you local hardware or plumbing store) and wrap it over the entire length of exposed pipe.

Step Three: Cover all valves, pipe-fittings, etc. with insulating tape or fiberglass.

Step Four: Open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathrooms. Waterlines supplying the kitchen or bathrooms are frequently located in outside walls. Any air leaks in siding or insulation can cause these pipes to freeze. Leaving the cupboard doors open when the temperature is below freezing will allow the pipes behind the cupboards to get more heat.

Step Five: If the temperature drops below freezing, turn the water on to a small stream to let the water run. Faucets farthest from the street should be the ones left running. Using cold water will save on your gas or electric bill.