In many states, Winterizing your home is a familiar term for actions taken to avoid pipes bursting. When the cold weather comes in, our first instinct is to bundle up and relax. Before you get too comfortable, did you take extra steps that may be necessary to avoid frozen pipes?
Dealing with frozen pipes can be a pain. When the pipe bursts, the damage and flooding can be extremely severe. To avoid this happening to you, we have put together preventative measures to take to further winterize your home during freezing temperatures:
-
Keep any cabinets under sinks open. This will allow warmer air from your furnace or heat source to regulate the temperature of the pipes.
-
If your garage is attached to your home, keep the surrounding doors closed. According to Denver Water, “occasionally, plumbing is routed through this unheated space.” Sourced from 9News.
-
If you are planning on leaving during the cold weather, set your thermostat to 65 or higher. 65-67 degrees is still considered to be in the “eco friendly” range.
-
Depending on your faucet locations, leave your faucet on a drip. Although the drip may sound like a nuisance, the constant drip may prevent freezing.
Unfortunately, taking these steps will not always guarantee that your property will be safe from a pipe freezing or bursting. If you have noticed that a pipe is frozen but has not yet burst, these next steps can be crucial to saving your pipes:
-
According to Denver Water, you must immediately attempt to thaw the pipe. Before thawing, it is very important to shut your water off.
-
When attempting to thaw the pipe, a hair dryer, or other device with the same heat level will be the safest tool to use. Pipes can crack if they are exposed to extreme temperature ranges, so you will want to avoid using things that may instantly raise the temperature.
-
When thawing out the pipe, try to focus the heat to the inside of the pipe where the ice is.
Before you attempt anything, you must shut your water off. Thawing pipes on your own may be a little scary. If for any reason, you do not feel comfortable performing this act, call a professional to take on the task. If you are unsure of who to call, do not hesitate to reach out to your insurance company. They may be able to recommend a local professional that is trusted. In addition, it is important to report all damage to your insurance company. Depending on your deductible, your insurance policy may provide coverage for the damage.
For more information on freezing pipes, take a look at this article.
If you would like to go over your insurance policy to see if this event would be covered, fill out the form below. You can also call us at (303) 279-9700 and one of our insurance professionals will be happy to provide you with any additional information you may be looking for.