While a lot of damage occurs with extreme weather, we know the winter months are for the holidays and Halpin Plumbing wants to help you focus on family instead of repairs. Check out our tips for the winter months so that we can help you avoid any problems and save your money.
- If you have areas of piping that you are afraid of freezing such as underneath a sink, open up or crack your cabinets to allow the heat inside. You can always bring a space heater into the room. As long as the area is above 32F your pipes will be fine.
- Areas prone to frozen pipes like crawl spaces and garages are often where a lot of piping has been run but is not heated well. You can help protect your pipes in these areas by keeping your garage doors closed and insulating or covering pipes you can reach with tape or insulation in crawl spaces.
- Avoid pouring fats and oils down any drains because they create clogs and can solidify your pipes. Any grease or cooking oils should be wiped out and then thrown away.
- Avoid foods such as cabbage, potato peels, celery, and banana peels that are stringy and fibrous. These foods should only go down your garbage disposal in MODERATION while running lots of water. Otherwise, the disposal won’t be able to successfully grind them and you will end up with a clogged drain.
- In order to help conserve your hot water, plan showers at least 10 minutes apart and run washing machines and dishwashers at night or off times in the day.
REMINDER: If you suspect frozen pipes locate your emergency shut off valve and call Halpin Plumbing immediately. The sooner you call a professional the more likely the issue can be fixed before any damage occurs.
