Frozen pipes can wreak havoc on your home if they burst. In order to prevent this from happening, precautions must be taken and you need to be vigilant in protecting your property.
Check your basement to make sure there are no broken windows in your basement that have gone undetected. The window could be located behind a stored hutch or piece of furniture in your basement. Patrol your property to make sure that you have no drafts blowing into the basement or any other part of your home. All broken windows should be fixed or boarded up, and all drafts should be blocked with insulation.
Check all faucets to make sure you have both hot and cold water. This is especially important if you have a bathroom that you don’t use often or a laundry sink in the basement. If one of your faucets does not have water, you may have a frozen pipe. You should open the vanity or cabinet doors to let some heat in around the pipes, and use a hair dryer to try and thaw the frozen pipe. Begin closest to the faucet and work your way back. If you are able to thaw the pipe, open the faucet and let the water drip to prevent it from freezing again. Never try to thaw the pipe with an open flame.
Leave your heat at 60 degrees or above in these frigid temperatures. The few extra dollars it costs you could save you a lot of money down the road (and a huge headache).
If you are away, have someone check your property. Frozen pipes cause horrendous damage when they burst. If water gets into your basement, you could lose your water heater and your boiler. Also, if the burst frozen pipe goes undetected, your home will freeze over. This is disastrous and will cost you thousands of dollars to repair.
Make sure you know where the main shut off to your water is. If a pipe does burst, shut the water off at the main, and call a licensed plumber that provides emergency service, like Rizzo Plumbing & Heating.
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