We thought frozen pipes have been a fear we’d left behind by shifting to Florida, however final month’s arctic blast despatched our temperatures plummeting into the low 20s for 3 nights in a row (with an all-time low of 18 levels, which they’re calling a once-in-a-century occasion right here in Northwest, FL).
This was particularly regarding as a result of Florida properties in our space aren’t all the time constructed with this climate in thoughts. Frozen pipes are unhealthy information as a result of water expands when it freezes, probably inflicting pipes to burst or crack, resulting in leaking or flooding.
Fortunately, with just a few simple prevention steps we efficiently stored our pipes from freezing! Which, sadly, isn’t one thing plenty of our neighbors can say. Many individuals we all know had a difficulty with a pipe or two bursting – so we’re extraordinarily grateful that the steps we took stored ours protected. Listed below are 5 issues that labored for us, together with a tip from an area plumber that saved our outside bathe!
Tip 1: Determine Your Downside Pipes
The very first thing to do is assess the plumbing in your house for spots which might be particularly liable to freezing. This step lets you prioritize your efforts and tells you what areas it’s best to maintain an in depth eye on as soon as the temperatures drop. This consists of however isn’t restricted to:
- Outside plumbing fixtures like hose bibs or outside showers
- Pipes in unconditioned areas like garages, attics, or crawl areas
- Plumbing on exterior partitions
- Pipes closed off from warmth sources, like in indoor cabinetry or closets
- Pipes uncovered to wind, like on docks
- Uninsulated pipes wherever
For us, our major concern was our exterior plumbing – particularly our water heater (seen above), outside bathe, and hose bibs. We have been much less involved about our inside plumbing as a result of we have been unlikely to lose energy/warmth (due to our whole-house generator & the peace of thoughts that provides us), and shedding inside warmth is normally what endangers indoor pipes. However listed below are some suggestions for stopping frozen pipes when your warmth goes out, simply in case.
Tip 2: Add Insulation To Your Pipes
A few of our exterior pipes have been already insulated, just like the water heater proven above. However a lot of them weren’t, together with an extended part of copper pipe working to our outside bathe (you may see it uncovered in this publish). In order quickly as we noticed the forecast, we beat the frenzy to the shop and acquired a number of lengths of self-sealing foam tubular pipe insulation. They’re simple to put in and solely price about $3 for a 6-foot tube. Simply remember to choose up some elbows and tees as wanted too
It took us about quarter-hour to put in the froth tubes on any uninsulated outside pipes. In spots the place we couldn’t match a full tube, we used a few of this adhesive insulating tape as a substitute. This labored nicely on a number of the knobby sections of sure hose bibs or the place some pipes have been put in snugly to the siding.
Lastly, we additionally double-checked a number of the plumbing in our attic to ensure it was sufficiently lined in insulation. We have now blown insulation up there and a few of it had gotten moved off of a bit of pipe, so we simply brushed it again over. We learn over and over that even when your plumbing is inside, if it’s uninsulated and in an attic, basement, or storage it will probably nonetheless freeze and burst (in reality my aunt in Richmond had that challenge with a pipe in her storage final 12 months when it received further chilly up there).
Tip 3: Drip Your Taps
This tip is an oldie, however a goodie. Transferring water can’t freeze as rapidly as stagnant water, so forcing your pipes to maintain flowing – even only a trickle! – is a good way to stop frozen pipes. Simply don’t overlook to drip each your chilly and scorching water strains. We learn fairly just a few articles that mentioned you simply have to drip the chilly, however that undoubtedly tripped up a few our neighbors they usually had the new water strains burst! So we undoubtedly had a very profitable outcome by barely dripping each.
It was simple to drip the cold and warm water strains inside. Within the toilet, we simply turned each the new & chilly levers on barely. And within the kitchen, we set our faucet midway between scorching & chilly and opened it to a tiny trickle.
Our outside bathe was a bit trickier as a result of partaking the new water would imply turning the bathe on to a full spray, which was not one thing we have been desirous to do for 3 days straight whereas it wavered between lows of 18 and 22 levels. Fortunately, an area plumber gave us the tip to take away the showerhead and put a cap on it as a substitute. Buuuuuuut, as a substitute of screwing the cap on tightly, simply hand-tighten it in order that a bit of little bit of water can nonetheless leak out. This allowed us to set the bathe to a center temperature (which ensured that water was barely shifting by the new water and the chilly water line), however nonetheless solely let it drip as a substitute of absolutely spraying 3 nights in a row. Certainly one of our pals had their outside showers break through the deep freeze and he later realized he had solely let his chilly water drip, so the new water line was the one which froze and burst. And our neighbor throughout the road didn’t drip something exterior, so each of her bathe strains burst.
Simply to be protected, we stored all of our inside and exterior fixtures very barely dripping for the complete 3 days of our chilly snap. We usually checked our outside fixtures to ensure they have been nonetheless calmly dripping and there wasn’t any ice build-up or blockage. We even put indicators on our indoor sinks to remind our children (and ourselves!) to not flip issues off in an early morning haze or late-night bout of forgetfulness.
And whereas it could really feel like an enormous “waste” of water to depart taps on for thus lengthy, dripping ought to have negligible results in your water invoice. I learn just a few articles that mentioned it was round 2-5 cents per sink per day. And consider it this fashion: it makes use of loads much less water than having an enormous leak that floods your own home or yard!
Tip 4: Flip Your Water Totally Off
An alternate technique is to only absolutely flip the water off to your own home or parts of your own home. For example, if we had had a separate shut-off for our outside bathe, we probably would’ve performed that as a substitute. It’s not like anybody was going to bathe exterior in that climate! It’s additionally a terrific choice in the event you’re leaving city and gained’t be house to maintain your taps dripping or to watch for leaks. We truly flip off our most important water anytime we go on a visit as a result of burst pipes can occur in any climate (we’ve a buddy who got here house to a flooded first flooring in the summertime! AWFUL!).
Simply keep in mind that after shutting off the water, you continue to have to launch the strain of the water that’s nonetheless sitting within the pipes. Discover your lowest plumbing fixture (normally an out of doors hose bib) and open it for a number of seconds till the movement slows down. This was a tip from a plumber buddy in Cape Charles who informed us that generally individuals flip off the water however don’t bear in mind to alleviate the strain they usually nonetheless come again to frozen pipes which have burst.
Tip 5: A Pool Seems to be Weak However Can Usually Deal with It
Like many Floridians, we’ve a pool that we use year-round. It’s not lined or winterized or the rest that’s typical in colder climates (an open-year-round pool is the norm right here). This was our first vital chilly snap since our pool was accomplished so we have been fairly fearful at first. We noticed plenty of EXPOSED and UNSINULATED plumbing round our pool gear. Gulp.
However after talking with our pool cleaner (who’s from Kansas, so he is aware of chilly), we have been assured that our system could be fantastic. Our Hayward controller has a built-in “Freeze Defend” mode that routinely engages each time the air temperature drops under 36 levels. This retains the pumps, fountains, spa jets, and pool heater working on steady cycles to make sure that the water by no means sits too lengthy or will get too chilly. Plus, he reassured us, that if the controller have been to fail, it will take a very long time for our massive PVC pipes to freeze absolutely by and crack. Even older swimming pools with out “Freeze Defend” can normally simply be manually set to cycle water and use the pumps to maintain issues from freezing, in order that’s good to know.
Whereas we’d by no means advise you to not fear about your pool in any respect, we discovered plenty of consolation in watching our pool maintain itself protected through the chilly climate. We did completely nothing and it simply kicked issues on and off and moved water round for 4 strong days. We nonetheless checked on it to ensure we noticed the fountains flowing and spa effervescent periodically – however it was utterly self-sufficient and did a terrific job. So undoubtedly test your system or seek the advice of your pool firm earlier than chilly climate to know what to anticipate out of your specific pool, but when it has considerably latest know-how (like Freeze Defend) OR you may simply manually flip it on to maintain water flowing, it’s best to hopefully be all good. Oh and it actually helps to make sure that you’ll probably keep energy. Numerous individuals have back-up mills right here for that peace of thoughts.
Tip #6: Nothing’s Foolproof…
Usually, the following pointers is probably not sufficient to cease each single potential downside with pipes freezing relying in your specific scenario and climate occasion, however we’re extraordinarily glad we took these precautions they usually undoubtedly helped us really feel loads higher about going into this newest arctic blast and, for us no less than, they stored us from experiencing any plumbing points in any respect.
Extra Freezing Climate Preparations
Along with prepping our pipes for this unusually chilly Florida climate, we additionally took a number of steps to shield our crops from freezing. You may learn the 6 steps we took, together with which of them labored higher than others proper right here on this publish.
And once more, in the event you occur to expertise your warmth going out, we’ve written a publish all about the best way to forestall frozen pipes when your warmth goes out.
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