A Guide to Winterizing Your Pipes

When the weather becomes chilly, preventing your home's pipes from freezing is crucial, especially if you're going away for the winter and won't use your plumbing frequently.

We'll go through a few best practices for avoiding pipe freezing in the winter, regardless of your goals. We'll also go over how to winterize your pipes in case you spend the entire winter away:

• Spend money on pipe insulation.
• Disconnect exterior hoses
• Shut off the main water valve.
• Clear the toilets and the water heater by blowing more air through the pipes.

Spend money on pipe insulation.

How should you winterize your pipes? Guard them!

If your pipes are exposed to exceptionally low temperatures, they could freeze. Freezing can cause your pipes to burst or shatter, stopping water flow.

Foam insulation is a good way to protect your pipes and avoid expensive plumbing repairs, water damage, mold growth, and the inconvenience of not having fresh water. It is reasonably priced and can be installed in a single day.

But if your house is older, you might need to insulate your pipes. Contractors typically plan for pipes to be protected against extreme temperatures in newer homes. If you need clarification on whether your pipes are insulated, we suggest calling a certified plumber to inspect them. If you know the state of your home's plumbing system, you can maintain it throughout the winter.

HVAC Repair Guide's knowledgeable plumbers provide practical same-day service and upfront pricing. Call us, and we'll take care of any insulation, defrosting, or pipe repair needs to your complete satisfaction. For additional information, please visit our page on plumbing services.

Disconnect exterior hoses

By cutting off exterior garden hoses, you can save yourself the hassle of dealing with frozen pipes throughout the winter.

We recommend taking outside hoses off their hooks when the seasons change, and you no longer need to water your grass or plants. Shake off any excess water, and then store them safely in a garage or garden shed.

They could freeze and break if you accidentally leave your hoses connected in the winter. You'll be forced to replace them come spring.

This same idea also applies to sprinkler systems. Make sure to switch it off during the winter if you have one.

If you plan to leave your house empty during the winter, take a few extra steps to ensure the plumbing system is ready.

Shut off the main water valve

Since you won't need running water while you're away, we advise shutting off the entire water supply to your house. If a toilet, faucet, or other water appliance is accidentally left running or you have any small leaks, you won't have to worry about the water freezing inside your pipes.

The main water valve is typically located on the exterior of your house, towards the perimeter. But it can also be found in a basement, garage, or even a crawl space (depending on how old your house is or how it was built).

A red or white lever indicates the main water valve, though it could also be a round knob. In either case, push the lever or knob clockwise to turn it off.

Remember to turn the good pump off when using well water.

Blow More Air Into Your Pipes

Use an air compressor or a vacuum to remove extra air from your pipes after turning off your main water supply. You want them dry for the winter.

Insulated pipes will maintain their equilibrium over the winter with regular water use. Nevertheless, leaving standing water in your pipes for weeks or even months can change the pressure inside of them. Also, as temperatures drop, the pressure buildup may put your pipes under a risky strain that might cause them to move, rupture, or break.

Moreover, standing water can overflow into your toilets and water heater, all of which need to be drained while not in use during the winter.

Clean out the toilets and the water heater

Since your home won't be heated while you're away, your toilets and water heater risk cracking from extremely low temperatures. We suggest draining all of the water from them before storing it.

It's not too difficult to drain a toilet. Shut off the nearby water supply valve and flush the toilet frequently to get rid of all the water.

On the other hand, your water heater should only be emptied by a licensed plumber. Whether you have a tank or tankless model, water heaters have sensitive parts that must be handled carefully.