Enjoy This Year’s Holiday Season by Avoiding These Plumbing Problems
As the holiday season gets in full swing, your attention is likely on things other than your plumbing. But rest assured, nothing can put a damper on your holiday like experiencing a plumbing emergency.
You can diminish the chances of having to deal with those particular headaches by taking some preventative measures. The holidays should be about enjoying your family and friends, after all, not dealing with plumbing problems.
Before You Leave
It’s common before you leave to travel on the holidays to want to turn your thermostat down; or even turn the furnace off completely to save on energy costs. This can be a recipe for disaster. Yes, by all means turn the thermostat down, but don’t reduce it below 55°F. You need your home to be at least that warm to keep your pipes from freezing.
Make Sure Pipes are Insulated
You may think that pipes are sturdy enough on their own. However, if you’ve got piping that is exposed to the elements (i.e. exterior piping, or even piping in colder areas of your home like the basement or crawl space) it can be exposed to enough cold to make the water stop moving, and eventually freeze and burst.
You can reduce that risk simply by wrapping the pipes in foam insulation. This is a quick and easy job that can save you a real hassle down the road.
Visit the Sump Pump
This is another job that you need to attend to before you leave. If you should experience a burst pipe while you are away, your sump pump may very well save your home from flooding, which is why you need to make sure that it works. Sump pumps have a life span similar to your car. If yours is aging, you may want to get it replaced. At the very least, get it inspected by a professional.
Check Exterior Faucets
If you’ve neglected to disconnect your exterior hoses and put them away for the season, take care of that immediately. Drain any remaining water inside the faucet and switch off the valve to prevent water from freezing or getting trapped, which could cause burst pipes.
Test Interior Faucets
Go to each faucet in your home and make sure that they turn on and off correctly. Make sure that water is flowing well. If all the faucets don’t work, it may be a supply issue, so investigate that. If just one is being stubborn, you may have a frozen pipe somewhere, and you should call your plumber for help.
Keep the Water Heater Warm
If you’ve got a newer water heater, it may already be insulated, but it is worth investing in a water heater jacket. This tool will keep heat from escaping and make sure that your water is well heated in your home. It also helps with energy efficiency, which is a nice touch.
If you do have the bad luck of experiencing a plumbing problem in Colonial Heights, VA over the holidays, don’t worry, we can help. Just call Colonial Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. at (804) 526-8415. We have staff on call, even over the holidays to help.
