Residential plumbing consists of pipes that deliver fresh water through fixtures and move waste away from your property. When outdoor conditions become frigid, any standing water in your system may freeze, expand, and lead to broken pipes. Fortunately, the following steps can prevent water damage and the need for plumbing repairs.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

1. Adjust Your Thermostat

Before leaving home for the day or going on vacation, you might lower your thermostat to prevent your furnace from cycling too frequently and save energy. However, setting the temperature too low may allow water lines beneath sinks or behind walls to become cold enough to freeze and crack or burst. You can conserve energy and keep your pipes warm by adjusting your thermostat to a minimum of 55 to 60 degrees when leaving your house during the winter. 

2. Drip Faucets 

When stagnant fluids freeze and expand, they may put pressure on water lines, leading to broken pipes. However, if water continues flowing through the pipes, this generates heat from friction that can keep the lines sufficiently warm and prevent them from freezing. Allowing the cold water to drip from faucets on days when outdoor temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit can protect your plumbing from winter damage. 

3. Insulate Water Lines

Pipes located on the exterior of your home may make direct contact with freezing air, ice, and snow, causing the fluid within them to rapidly freeze and potentially break the lines. You can protect these pipes from the elements and keep them warm by wrapping them with polyurethane foam tubes or sheets of mineral wool insulation. Alternatively, you can wrap heat tape around them, which contains wires that produce an electrical current to heat up pipes and keep them from freezing. 

4. Open Cabinet & Closet Doors

Pipes in closed cabinets and closets may become cold and freeze if heated air produced by your furnace doesn't reach them. You can ensure these water lines remain warm enough by leaving cabinet and closet doors ajar on frigid winter days, which may permit heated indoor air to circulate around and heat them. Removing any household cleaning products or containers of chemicals from these spaces prior to opening the doors can prevent children and pets from accessing harmful substances and promote safety. 

If your home has frozen or broken pipes, contact Bohannon’s Plumbing & General Repair in Thomasville, NC. This business offers plumbing repairs along with routine maintenance and new installations to clients throughout Davidson, Randolph, Guilford, and Forsyth counties. Call (336) 561-1261 to schedule an appointment, or visit their website to learn more about how they can keep your plumbing system serviceable.