Now that the cold months of the year are quickly approaching, it’s time to start taking precautions to prepare your house. This means you’ll have to do things like clean your gutters, check any weather seals in doors and windows, and of course make sure your plumbing system is ready.
Below, we’ve highlighted the most helpful preparation items for making sure your plumbing system is in tip-top shape before it gets too cold outside.
Water Heater Inspection
One of the more important tips on this list is to get your water heater inspected. In the winter, there’s nothing nicer than a hot shower to wake you up in the morning. Imagine you wake up on a cold, 15-degree morning and you turn on the shower to warm it up. You wait 10 minutes for it to get warm, but it’s still cold enough to be able to give you frostbite. It can be a major annoyance to have no hot water in the cold months. Getting your water heater checked out by a professional before it gets too cold can save your life on those frosty mornings.
Check for Leaks
Another very helpful tip is to check for any leaks in your pipes. Checking for leaks now can help prevent a larger leak in the future, and keep someone from having to repair it in the winter when it’s more difficult to work on. It’s best to have a qualified plumber check for the leaks because they might find hidden ones, but if it’s obvious to you that somethings leaking it’s time to call someone for repairs. There are some great guides to show you signs of a leaky pipe all over the internet.
Travel Preparation
When going on vacation in the winter, you have to be very conscious of the fact that pipes with still water in them can freeze. When they freeze, the pipe expands and will eventually burst. This can be a costly fix that creates extra hassle in your life and should be avoided at all costs. The natural thought when going on vacation for an extended period of time is to turn your heating/air conditioning off to avoid extra costs. However, you should keep your house heated to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit to keep your pipes from bursting.
Winter can oftentimes cause many problems within your home. For any of your plumbing problems, be sure to check out Knight Plumbing. Servicing plumbing problems across the Treasure Valley, Knight Plumbing is always there to give you a hand with our 24/7 Emergency Services help. Give us a call today to get answers for all your plumbing and HVAC related questions!
