During the winter, professional plumbers are often swamped with calls from desperate homeowners who need help with frozen pipes. It’s even more common in areas that have brutally cold winters, such as Springfield, Illinois. That begs the question, what should you do if you find yourself dealing with frozen pipes this winter? Thankfully, you might be able to do a few things to avoid a major catastrophe.
Try to Thaw Your Pipes Out as Soon as Possible
It’s not uncommon for pipes to freeze slightly during the winter. If you catch this process early, you can avoid bigger problems. For example, on nights when the temperature is going to drop below freezing, consider letting the water drip from the faucet of an exposed pipe. The moving water, even if just a trickle, could prevent your pipes from freezing.
If you notice the pipes starting to trickle, it’s a sign that they’re freezing. Turning on warm water and letting it pass through the pipes can thaw them. Also, you can use a blow-dryer to warm the air around a frozen pipe. When thawing pipes, avoid using open flames because they may damage the pipes or cause a fire.
What to Do If a Frozen Pipe Bursts
Regardless of how proactive you are, sometimes frozen pipes go unnoticed. As the water freezes inside, it expands. Because of that, the frozen water can crack or burst your pipes. When this happens, you should call a professional plumber to repair the broken pipes.
While you wait for the plumber to arrive, though, try to shut off the water supply to your home. This will prevent too much water from leaking into your home and damaging your belongings or the structure of your home.
HRI Plumbing Is Here to Help
Don’t let frozen pipes get you down this winter. The expert plumbers at HRI Plumbing are here to help. We can repair or replace nearly any pipe in your home. Find out more about our leak detection and repair services today.
