Prepare your plumbing...winter is coming!
Preparing your home for winter can be a daunting task, however here are some quick tips to ensure your plumbing is ready for the cold days to come.
Winter time is one of our busiest seasons because people do not properly shut down or winterize their outdoor plumbing. One of the most common calls we get is for burst pipes. When water freezes inside a pipe, the pipe will split apart and it will continuously run until the main water is shut off and the pipe is repaired. The result of a burst pipe is typically damage to walls and floors, a flooded basement, damage to furniture and electronics as well as future mold issues.
The effects of a burst pipe are extremely expensive but avoidable.
As a homeowner, you should be sure you know where your main water shut off is in your house. The first thing to do when you are experiencing a leak is to shut off that water main.
Ways to prevent burst pipes:
look for cold areas in your home and make sure any penetrations to outside are sealed up adequately so no bugs or drafts can get in;
for your hose bib, make sure you turn it off using the inside stop and waste isolation valve inside the home, then disconnect your hose from the hose bib outside, open the faucet up outside, then unscrew the drain port on the side of the inside valve. Water will drain out of the inside valve so make sure you have a small bucket on hand to capture that water. See figure below showing the stop and waste isolation valve.
Following these steps will ensure that you don’t have to deal with unexpected and costly damage. If you do have an issue with a frozen pipe though, be sure to contact us right away so we can make the necessary repairs. Call 613-325-1923 or email whitewaterplumb@gmail.com.
Stop and Waste Isolation Valve - inside home at hose bib