Everyday
Disasters
These common occurrences can be a lot less disastrous when you follow
the advice below.
Avoid frozen
pipes when the weather gets cold.
Frozen or broken water pipes cause major damage to homes every winter.
Much of the damage is caused when pipes freeze then rupture due to prolonged
heat loss, as when pipes aren't properly insulated or a furnace stops
working. Even if you have heat, pipes can freeze if they aren't kept
at 65 degrees or higher. You see, the water within the pipe freezes,
causing the pipe to expand and crack. As soon as the pipe heats up again,
the pipes are likely to burst! If the water flow at your faucets is
blocked, that's a good indication that your pipes may be frozen, so
act quickly!
You can
prevent the mess and aggravation, not to mention the expense, that frozen
water pipes cause by following these easy steps:
- Find
the pipes that are most likely to freeze -- usually those near outer
walls, in crawl spaces, or in the attic.
- Insulate
them with foam jacketing or wrap pipes with approved heat tape. Insulation
on outside pipes should extend 12 inches below the frost line, which
is an imaginary line that represents the average depth at which soil
is likely to freeze each year.
- Seal
all cracks that would allow cold air to reach pipes.
- Let
hot and cold water trickle at night from an outside faucet.
- Keep
cabinet doors open to allow heat to reach insulated pipes under a
sink.
- Have
a neighbor check your house daily if you plan to be away for a long
period.
If your
pipes do freeze...
- Shut
off the water. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to do this
in case the pipes are about to burst.
- Never
try to thaw a pipe with an open flame, torch, or heat gun.
- Call
a plumber and your Homesite insurance specialist if you need claims
assistance.
