Winterize Your Home

It’s no surprise that winters can get cold in St. Louis. Last December, temperatures dropped to as low as 2 degrees with an average low of 26 degrees. Temperatures that cold can leave your home’s plumbing vulnerable to frozen and busted pipes if left unprotected. Winterizing your home is a relatively cheap and easy way to save thousands of dollars in repairs and water cleanup services. Follow these tips to ensure your plumbing is in good working order all winter long.

Prep Outdoor Faucets

It’s important to disconnect garden hoses and turn off water flow to your outdoor faucets if possible. This will keep your faucets free from water buildup that can freeze, expand and crack your indoor plumbing.

Insulate Pipes

Insulating indoor and outdoor pipes that are exposed to cold winter temperatures is one of the easiest ways to protect your home from winter plumbing problems. The foam pipe sleeves and heat tape needed for this task can be found at your local hardware store. Wrap all exposed pipes that run outside of the heated portion of your home. These pipes can be found primarily in attics, basements and garages.

Water Heater Checkup

Winter weather puts a lot of extra pressure on your water heater. A broken water heater means no hot and warm water, leaving your plumbing especially vulnerable to freezing and bursting. Don’t wait for this costly repair to happen before having your water heater inspected by one of the plumbing professionals at Drain Masters. We can complete a thorough inspection that looks for signs of leakage and the anode rods for corrosion. You experienced technician can even offer water heater replacements and professional installation if needed.

Keep Your Furnace Running

It may be tempting to turn off your furnace when leaving your home to travel during the winter months. But be aware that this can leave your plumbing susceptible to freezing temperatures. If you’re still looking to save money and energy, do not set your thermostat below 50 degrees to ensure your plumbing is kept warm enough to avoid costly bursts.

Do not hesitate to call or schedule service online with Drain Masters for all your plumbing emergencies. Our licensed and insured plumbers are available 24/7!