Home Plumbing Tips for Winter

QUESTION:

What should I do to winterize my external plumbing systems?

Answer:

Winterizing your external plumbing system is the most important job if you live in areas that freeze in the winter. The simple fact that water expands when frozen has caused countless problems for homeowners when temperatures dip below zero. Ignore this job and you could be faced with flooding, water damage and thousands of dollars worth of plumbing bills. Unfortunately, many homeowners wait until snow hits the ground before they take these steps to protect their home:

1. Drain exterior water pipes and any pipes that run through unheated areas (such as a garage, crawlspace or unheated porch). If draining these pipes isn’t possible, wrap them with foam insulation or heat tape.
2. Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Store them in a heated area for the winter.
3. Drain underground sprinkler systems.

If you are not sure how to do these things or cannot find valves to shut off the external water, give us a call today and we would be more than happy to show you how.

QUESTION:

What should I do to prepare my house for the fall and winter seasons?

Answer:

clear Gutters, Catch Basins and Drains

As we move into fall and the rainy season, the first thing you should do is inspect your gutters and storm drainage system; clean them out if required. If you have any catch basins or storm water sumps you will want to check the solids levels and shovel them out if needed. Storm lines can easily be tested by putting a garden hose into each down pipe and running the water. If they convey water, chances are, they are working fine. If the water starts to back up you may have a problem. I would also recommend checking these again after all the leaves fall from the trees.

Detach all outside hoses

If you have a hose attached to the outside tap, it is critical that you disconnect the hose and remove. Hoses can prevent the water from draining out after the isolation valve has been turned off.

Turn off Outside Tap Isolation Valves

Moving towards the end of October, you will want to make sure all outside taps (hose bibs) are turned off for the winter. To do this, you must locate the isolation valve for each outside tap. Upon shutting the valve off (to isolate the outside tap) you must open the outside tap to let the water drain out. You may have to open a small bleeder nut on the side of the isolation valve to allow the water to drain out of the outside tap. If you cannot find a shut off valve to turn off the outside tap, you can put some insulation around the outside tap to protect it from freezing and cover it with a plastic bag to protect it from the rain.

Find more tips on preparing your whole house for winter temperatures on our blogpost. If you’d like our expert help in preparing your home for winter, call us today at 604-940-2268 or book a free estimate .