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2 days ago

Five easy tips to winterize your home

As winter approaches, all homeowners must take in that the piping in their homes may take a toll. With 0 preparation, the water in your pipes will begin to freeze. The expansion of the ice will lead to more stress on your pipeline, which may lead to bursting. Suddenly, you have a costly bill to replace the piping in your home.

The solution to avoid all of these disastrous problems leads to one thing: winterizing your pipes. You may ask, what is winterization? Winterization is the act of preparing/adapting something for use in cold weather.

Here are 5 tips you can use to winterize your home and put yourself in good graces to survive the long winter.
1.) Contact your local plumbing service.

Before taking any action on your home, it is wise to have a professional inspection completed by a plumber. This action will ensure everything is clean and ready for the several tips below.

If the plumber finds something that requires to be taken care of, they can schedule that job before the winter kicks into full gear.

Now, feel free to sit back and relax, knowing that your pipes are ready for the battle against the cold.

2.) Draining outdoor faucets

Firstly, you must ensure that you drain any remaining water out of the pipes to avoid the water freezing up and causing problems later on. To do this, you need to leave the bleeder cap open and let the water drain out.

Any faucet on the outside of your home has a shutoff valve located somewhere in the piping. You want to turn this completely off as you’ve drained the water out of your pipes.

Once you’ve completed all these steps, you can walk away knowing you won’t have to check up on your outdoor faucets until the flowers begin to bloom next season.

3.) Insulated piping

The most effective method of winterization is by insulating your piping. Insulated pipes will stop water inside from falling below freezing temperature. Insulated pipes also assist with protecting the pipelines from cracks or any other damages over time.

If you can find fiberglass or slip-on foam pipe insulation that can wrap around the pipes, you’re in good hands. This method is the best way to regulate the temperature as much as possible.

4.) Seal your ventilation system

You must ensure the cold air doesn’t enter your home from the ventilation that leads outside. A solution for this is to find some cardboard (sturdy enough for the winter) or a plastic cover and duct tape it over the ventilation.

This method may seem a bit excessive, but this method will help regulate how much cold air is flowing into your home.

5.) Forcing water out of your pipes

Using an air compressor, you can blow the excess water directly out of the pipes, leaving you with a clear pipeline ready to take on the winter season.

Winterize your Pipes with your local experts

For all plumbing winterization services, contact your local plumbers at Harb Plumbing. We offer a comprehensive service to help you get through the winter season. Call us at 905-333-4272 and we will be delighted to assist you.

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