Techno Granny, Handyman Tells You
How to Protect Pipes in Winter
Listen to Show Here
Pittsburgh Area Handyman Brian Fallet of "He's Pretty Handy will give
you chapter and verse today to keep you from experiencing the damage
that can be caused by frozen pipes. .....From deterrents to freezing to
things NOT to do to unthaw them whether you are a homeowner or renter
you should not miss this on "How to Protect Your Water Pipes in Winter."
Build Zoom--He's Pretty Handy is a handymen in Pittsburgh, PA. Rated in
the top 30% of 21,136 contractors in Pittsburgh.
Frozen water pipes are a serious risk during extremely cold
weather. When water freezes, it expands and can put enough pressure on any pipe
to cause it to burst. When a pipe bursts it can spill hundreds of gallons of
water per hour and cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home.
To prevent frozen pipes:
Drain and store outdoor hoses. Close the inside valves that
supply the outdoor hose bibs. Open the outdoor hose bib to allow water to drain
and to allow any remaining water to expand without breaking the pipe.
Keep garage doors closed if there are any water supply lines
in the garage.
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air
to circulate around the plumbing.
Leave the faucet open so you get a slow drip. The dripping water will help keep the water in the pipe from freezing.
If you are going away during cold weather keep your
thermostat set to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees.
Insulate any exposed pipes.
If you turn on the water and get no water or only a trickle,
you can suspect a frozen pipe. Likely areas are any pipes on exterior walls or
pipes coming into the house. If you are unable to locate the frozen pipe,
contact a plumber or your local handyman.
When working to thaw a pipe, work from the side nearest the
faucet and work towards the frozen area, this way any water can flow out and
pressure from the water supply can push the ice out as it melts.|
You can uses several methods to unfreeze a pipe,
Wrap the area of the
pipe with towels soaked in hot water.
Wrap the area of the pipe with a heating pad.
Use a hair dryer or small portable heater. If the pipe is
near a wall, use a cookie sheet behind the pipe to reflect the heat to the back
of the pipe.
Do not apply any open flame such as a
blow torch to the pipe, this can cause a pipe to explode or worse start a house
fire.
Keep the faucet open, as you treat the frozen pipe and the
frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area.
Running water through the pipe will help melt more ice in the frozen area.
Know where your water main is, if the frozen pipe bursts,
you will want to shut off the water as soon as you can.
He's Pretty Handy Website 412-431-1498
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