Preventing Frozen Pipes in your Springfield Home

11/29/2018 (Permalink)

If you find yourself with a broken pipe and the mess that sometimes comes with it do not hesitate to contact SERVPRO of Springfield/Greene County at 4

If you are like most of us, right now you are busy making preparations for the upcoming holidays.  With the hustle and bustle of the season it is easy to forget the extreme weather we are surely to experience soon.  Please remember to adequately prepare your home and property for the harsh winter months ahead, especially your pipes and water systems.

With these huge temperature drops water will freeze, when water freezes, it expands, this can mean trouble for your pipes. If the temperature of your pipes drops below 32 degrees, even for a very short amount of time, it can result in a broken pipe, this can cause water damage to your home. Take the following precautions now to avoid a major catastrophe in your home or property.

• If your home has a crawlspace close the vents and secure the crawlspace door. For extra precaution stuff insulation around all the openings.
• Make sure your pipes are well-insulated.
• Keep your garage door closed, especially if you have bathrooms, kitchens or laundry rooms in or around the garage walls.
• If your bathroom pipes run along an outside wall, keep the cabinet doors open to allow heat inside especially during particularly cold spells.
• Never turn off the heat when you leave home during the winter. Instead, set the temperature to at least 55 degrees F.

Outside Your Home

• Disconnect and store garden hoses. If your home has a separate shut-off for external faucets, turn it off and drain the water from those faucets.
• Know where your main waterline shut-off is before a problem arises.

 Here are some signs you have frozen pipes.

• You turn on the faucet but nothing comes out.
• You turn on the faucet and just a slight trickle comes out.
• Frost is visible on the pipe.
• The water is turned off but you hear rushing water. This could be a sign that you have a leak somewhere. You should turn off the main waterline immediately and investigate.

Hopefully these tips will help you prepare your home for the extreme temperature drops we see in the Springfield area.  If you find yourself with a broken pipe and the mess that sometimes comes with it do not hesitate to contact SERVPRO of Springfield/Greene County at 417-865-7711.  When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial.  A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.  We are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week for water emergencies, large or small.   Our fully trained staff has extensive cleaning and restoration experience to get your property back “like it never even happened”.