How To Prepare Your Plumbing For The Cold Houston Winters

Houstonians may not anticipate winter too often, yet many find themselves taken by surprise when temperatures begin to dip. Preparing your plumbing for colder temperatures is crucial so as to prevent unexpected damage, expensive repairs, or water issues from cropping up unexpectedly when temperatures change drastically. Here are a few steps that you can take in Houston to make sure it’s ready for wintertime:

1. Insulate Your Pipes

Insulation around non-current lines is the single most essential step you can take this winter to keep your plumbing safe from frostbite. Unfortunately, homes built without taking into account Houston’s climate often leave pipes exposed and vulnerable to being cold – like garages, crawl spaces, and exterior walls where pipes could potentially freeze up during harsher winter conditions.

• Look out for open pipes located in areas without heating systems that could become frostbitten when temperatures dip quickly, because these are more likely to freeze than heated pipes.
• To insulate non-working pipes, cover them with pipe insulation caps or heat tape – foam rubber or fiberglass insulation sleeves can often be found at hardware shops – and seal any holes or cracks near them; cold air entering through holes could make freezing more likely.

Insulating pipes correctly is an easy and inexpensive way to protect them against burst pipes or any other plumbing issues that might arise in cold weather conditions.

2. Disconnect And Drain Outdoor Hoses

One of the most frequent mistakes people make is leaving their outdoor hoses attached for an entire winter season, leaving water inside to freeze and expand, which could back up into their home’s pipes and cause them to break.

• Before draining any outdoor hoses completely, switch off all taps leading to any outdoor faucets in your home and turn the valves off at each faucet for those outdoor faucets; open each outdoor faucet’s valve so any leftover water can flow out from there.
• Put insulated covers or tap socks over outdoor faucets to block cold air from reaching them and reduce the chances of outdoor plumbing items freezing and causing issues. By doing these easy things, you can make it much less likely that plumbing items outside will freeze and cause problems.

3. Service Your Water Heater

Even though winters in Houston aren’t as cold, getting your water heater fixed regularly before winter can help make sure it keeps working at its best and lower the chance of it breaking down when you least expect it.

• Flush out your water heater tank regularly to eliminate any sediment build-up that has accumulated, as silt can compromise its operation, leading to higher energy bills.
• Adjust your thermostat accordingly: For optimal results, optimal settings should be set around 120degF (49degC).
• During the winter, check your water heater for leaks or rust. Small leaks can get worse and become bigger problems.
• If your tank is located in an especially cold location, an insulation blanket might help maintain an even temperature and lower energy usage.

An effective water heater will supply hot water throughout the year – even on the coldest nights!

4. Keep Indoor Temperatures Consistent 

To save on their energy costs, many people turn down the heat at night or when no one is home; however, lines in colder parts of their house could freeze due to sudden shifts in the interior temperature.

• When away, keep the temperature inside at least 55degF (13degC). To help with circulation of warm air around pipes on outside walls, open cabinet doors underneath sinks so warm air can freely pass by them.
• When using space heaters in basements, attics, or any other areas with pipes, be wary to ensure that the temperature does not drop too low and freeze the pipes. Keeping warm inside your home will prevent cold spots where pipes could become vulnerable to freezing over.

5. Know The Location Of Your Main Water Shut-Off Valve

Being aware of where your main water shut-off button is will help reduce major water damage resulting from burst pipes or pipe breaks caused by freeze damage; immediately cutting off water flow will reduce damage significantly.

• Locate the main switch that shuts off the water; this is typically located near your water meter in the basement, utility room, or closet.
• Make sure everyone in your household knows where and how to access this switch in an emergency situation.

Clear the area around your shut-off valve so it can be quickly reached in an emergency situation, making it easy to cut off water flow quickly in an effort to stop flooding and prevent additional water damage from worsening.

6. Have A Professional Plumber Inspect Your Pipes

While it’s possible to prepare yourself for winter on your own, having a qualified plumber perform a check of your pipes can ensure nothing slips by unnoticed. An untrained eye may overlook problems that a qualified plumber would see right away.

• Consult a trusted company, like Cooper Plumbing Houston TX, for a thorough plumbing inspection. A professional inspection will allow them to identify any weak points in your pipes that need strengthening, as well as any leaks that are hard to notice.
• Speak with your plumber now about what fixes or upgrades should be made to your plumbing system, and set up preventive maintenance plans so your pipes remain in tip-top shape year-round.

Resolving problems before they get worse can save both money and hassle, so having your system checked by professionals could be very worthwhile.

Conclusion

Getting your plumbing ready for the Houston winter is important to keep your home safe from expensive water damage repairs. To make the season as stress-free as possible, protect pipes, service water heaters, and fix leaks. Furthermore, professional services like Cooper Plumbing Houston, TX, offer plumbing system checks that ensure it will face every challenge thrown its way this season.