Freeze-Fighting Tips Can Avoid Burst Pipes and Expensive Damage
Toronto, ON (Grassroots Newswire) January 2010 — Remember the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? It’s true of many things including winterizing your water pipes.
“Every year, according to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies pay out over $1.5 billion to property owners who report various weather-related disasters, including rupturing water pipes,” says Paul Gavel, owner of Canadian Leak Detection in Toronto. But if you follow some basic winterizing procedures, you can avoid both the cleanup and the cost.
Gavel offers these tips for protecting your pipes against the ravages of Old Man Winter:
Before freezing weather:
- Advise all household members where the main water shutoff valve is located in case of emergency.
- Make sure hoses are disconnected from outside faucets.
- Make sure water pipes in unheated parts of your home, including crawl spaces, are insulated.
- Seal all openings in the basement around the foundation, windows, and doors.
- Pipes in your basement that are close to windows should be insulated.
- Drain all underground irrigation systems.
During freezing weather:
- If a water pipe freezes, NEVER thaw it with an open flame. You may start a fire! Use hot air from a hair dryer, the exhaust from a vacuum cleaner, heat lamps, heat tape, or electric heaters.
- Make sure you heat all rooms of your house that have plumbing fixtures. Water pipes in unheated rooms are subject to freezing and could cause extensive damage.
- If your sinks are on an outside wall, you can leave the cabinet doors open to allow the heat from the room to enter.
- An incandescent light bulb can be used to thaw pipes slowly, by placing it next to pipes that are frozen (Be sure to keep the bulb away from combustible material.)
- Keep meter box lids closed during winter months to prevent cold air from freezing the meter. (Dont remove snow if you dont have to. It helps insulate the meter.)
- If you have experienced problems in the past during freezing periods and you have exhausted all other solutions, you can leave a trickle of water running from the faucet highest in the house. (This trickle should be a steady stream slightly larger than the lead of a pencil.)
In addition to these, Gavel encourages local homeowners to call their local water department if they need additional advice.
Canadian Leak Detection is known as a world leader in the detection of hidden water and sewer leaks. It uses advanced, sophisticated electronic leak detection devices to fix leaks for all kinds of water systems, Gavel said, adding that the company has found 5,148,480 leaks worldwide since 1974 and counting. Canadian Leak Detection’s primary commitment is to conserve water, the world’s most precious resource.
For more information or if you’ve experienced a leak, call the experts: 1-800-290-5349 or email us anytime at canadianleak@rogers.com.
