Although we live in sunny San Diego, the threat of pipe bursts is one that no resident should ignore. If you haven’t taken the proper precautions, you could end up with costly damage. We suggest that you avoid this by following our best tips:
Insulate Your Home’s Exposed Pipes
First, focus on is protecting your exposed pipes, which are vulnerable to freezing. This is done by adding insulation, whether you do the work yourself or hire an HVAC professional.
Drain the Pipes
Excess water in your pipes can easily become frozen when the temperature drops. Draining your pipes will quickly fix this problem.
Turn On a Faucet
When outdoor temperatures get especially cold, it’s a good idea to start a slow drip on any faucet in your home. This will keep the water flowing, which will stop its ability to freeze.
Use a Heating Trace Cable
Heating cables function by plugging them into an electrical outlet, then laying the cable alongside your pipes or wrapping it around them. This cable will come out of its package ready to be used or require a little preparation.
Turn Up the Heat
San Diego is full of incredible older homes. Unfortunately, many older homes are built atop a crawl space that has not been insulated. Turning up the heat on your thermostat will warm up the floor and crawl space.
Heat Up the Pipe
Space heaters are a great way to get warmed up on a chilly day, and they’re also useful in warming up your home’s pipes. There’s no need to use its highest setting; it won’t take much heat to do the job.
Pay Attention to the Outdoor Spigot
With so much attention paid to the interior of your home, its exterior may be ignored. An outdoor spigot can become frozen, too, and turning off its valve will prevent bursting.
