Preventing Frozen Pipes

Prevent Frozen Pipes
Winter comes every year, and every year some put off their annual chores to get the home ready for winter.
Be Prepared
“Preparation is key,” says Steve Burbridge, at Anthony Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. “Learn the location of your main water shutoff valve in case a pipe breaks,” Burbridge advises. “Above all, find out which local plumbers are equipped and ready to handle frozen pipes.”
Place A Space Heater
Keep unprotected pipes above freezing by simply placing an electric heater near them. Remember, the goal is not to make the space toasty warm and comfortable. It’s to keep the water in the pipe above freezing.
Turn Off The Water
In the worst case, turn off the main water valve while the house is unoccupied or while you sleep. If a pipe freezes and breaks, the spillage is limited only to the water in the pipe.
Open Cabinet Doors
It’s not unusual for plumbing running to a kitchen sink on an exterior wall to be extremely vulnerable because the wall is not insulated. Open the cabinet doors along that wall to allow heat into the space. Place an electric heater in front of the cabinets for an extra measure of cold protection.
Protect Garage Pipes
Because most garages are not heated; water pipes running through the garage are also vulnerable to freezing and bursting this time of year. An Auto-Ray garage heater will keep the garage warm and protect the pipes. It also keeps the floors above warm. Ice and snow brought in on the car the night before will be GONE the next morning and the floor will be dry. The Auto-Ray heats a 2-3 car garage using inexpensive natural gas for about $10 a month. And no more getting into a cold car!