Many homeowners don’t know how much damage extremely cold weather can put on their plumbing systems until it is too late. Following a harsh winter in most parts of the country where heavy snowfall and low temperatures were somewhat never-ending, some of our readers have horror stories to share about pipes in their home, which turn into lessons learned for other readers. When you are in a particularly bad winter, you need to take preemptive measures to make sure that you protect your pipes from cracking or rupturing. A few dollars and a few minutes of your time in a proactive and preemptive way can potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars down the road.
The first step is to protect your most exposed pipes. These are the ones that are most likely to be damaged. Simply wrapping them with cloth or plastic will help keep them warm. If you can put foam around them that will be even better. Just do everything you can to reduce their exposure to cold.
Make sure that you have drained any water sources that you aren’t running. I take it you aren’t using your swimming pool when it is 20 degrees below freezing. Drain the circulation system for the pool so that you don’t have to worry about the water freezing while it circulates. Make sure that your sprinkler systems have been thoroughly drained as well.
You also need to be watch your daily routine and be mindful about how it may affect your house. Many people get into bad habits because they think they will be saving money. First of all, don’t turn your thermostat off just to save money on heat. You may think there is no point turning the thermostat on when you aren’t around, but you need to keep your house heated a little in order to prevent damage to your pipes. You may also try to save a little money on your water bill by making sure your faucets don’t drip, but it is actually better for your pipes if you leave them alone.
If you are going to be gone for extended periods of time (i.e. more than a few days) you may want to think about turning off the water. All you have to do is make sure that you turn the shut-off valve after turning the faucets off.
No matter what precautions they take, homeowners may still face the possibility of their pipes freezing. Before it has a chance to burst, thaw it out with a warm heating source. Something as simple as a towel soaked in hot water may be all you need. Slowly move towards the coldest part of the pipe and be careful not to focus all your attention on one spot. Sudden heating and cooling is traumatic and can cause a pipe to shatter.
If your pipes do burst, turn off the water and call a plumber immediately. The last thing you want to do is cause thousands of dollars in water damage on top of what is already going to be an expensive project. You can consider replacing the pipes yourself, but I personally recommend leaving that up to the professionals.
Extreme weather can be a huge problem for homeowners. Make sure that you know the risks to your pipes and take appropriate precautions. Plumbers will charge a lot of money for their services and the material costs alone can be devastating. Your best solution is to keep your pipes warm and focus your attention on the pipes that are most likely to be exposed to the elements. And now…onto summer 2011!
Kalen Smith writes about insurance, finance, home improvement and similar topics for Homeowners Insurance.
Keith Munsell 
