Freezing temperatures can pose several challenges for homeowners, and many of them have to do with water and ice. Water is one of the only liquids that expands when it freezes, and this expansion leads to problems when it freezes inside any kind of container, such as a pipe. Our team at Emergency Restoration Xperts (ERX) has dealt with the aftermath of countless bursting pipes, and we want to help you prevent this type of damage from happening to your home. If you want to know how to prevent bursting pipes this winter, keep reading to learn a few methods of how to do so.
• Keep Your Faucets Running. One way to prevent the pipes from bursting is to keep the water inside moving, which helps prevent ice crystals from forming. To do this, let one or two faucets run slowly whenever the temperature outside gets extremely cold.
• Open Your Sink Cabinets. If your kitchen sink is located on an outside wall, it is especially vulnerable to frozen pipes. To prevent the pipes from bursting, you should let the kitchen faucet run as described above, but you should also leave your sink cabinet doors open to expose the pipes to the warm air from your heating system.
• Warm Up Any Cold Areas. Most bursting pipes occur near outside walls or windows, which are often the coldest spots in a home. To prevent your pipes from freezing, make sure that these areas are getting enough warm air to keep them above freezing.
