Winters in the Greater Decatur, Greenwood, Indianapolis and Angola, Indiana areas are downright frigid, snowy and windy. The low temperatures can be rough on us, but our home’s plumbing needs special care and attention, too.
Prepare To Prevent The Worst
To ensure both your indoor and outdoor pipes are ready for an overnight low, following these helpful hints:
- Unhook all outdoor hoses from the faucet connection at the house. For extra protection, install insulated hydrant covers.
- Insulate any exposed outdoor pipes with specific insulating pipe wrap.
- Seal cracks or holes in exterior walls and around doors or pipes to keep cold air outside.
- Use heat tape or pipe wraps in basements, garages, crawl spaces and attics where pipes may be vulnerable to the cold.
- During very extreme low temperatures, especially if pipes are on exterior walls, open under-sink cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate inside the cabinet.
Signs Of A Burst Pipe
A few signs that a pipe may have burst are fluctuating water pressure; discolored or rusty water that smells funny; water pooling under sinks; or, a spike in your water bill.
First Steps If You Have Pipe Burst
If any of your pipes burst, there are steps you should take to prevent further damage.
- Turn off the water supply to your home.
- Turn off the electric supply to the affected area to avoid electric shock.
- Drain the faucets.
- Call a professional for a burst pipe repair.
- If there is damage to your home or belongings, file an insurance claim.
- If your insurance company agrees, or when they give the go ahead, contact a remediation company to clean up the damage and/or for restoration.
Should the worst happen, and you have a burst pipe, call Masters Heating & Cooling today for this and any other heating, indoor air quality or water heater need.
