ROANOKE, Va. – As temperatures plunge, it’s easy to forget about what’s happening behind your walls, particularly with your pipes. They are feeling the freeze, and it’s crucial to take steps to prevent a major mess in your home. No one wants to deal with frozen pipes and the damage they can cause, but the good news is that there are easy ways to prevent it—and it’s not too late to take action.
Kevin Lancaster, vice president of operations at Servpro in Roanoke, emphasizes the importance of keeping cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes. “The biggest thing is right here, keep these doors open to the cabinets and that’s going to allow the warm air, the ambient air, to keep those pipes nice and warm,” Lancaster advises.
Lancaster also recommends covering exposed pipes with pipe insulation or heat tape. He warns against setting your thermostat below 55 degrees. “A lot of people like to shut it down and save a couple bucks, but you come home to a mess, it’s not worth that savings I assure you,” he says.
If you suspect your pipes are frozen, one sign to look for is reduced water pressure. “Now one of the things you will probably notice first is you’ve got a lack of pressure. You are full throttle but it’s only a little bit coming out, that’s a problem,” Lancaster explains.
It’s not only indoor pipes that need attention. Lancaster reminds homeowners not to forget about outside spigots that are fully exposed to the elements. “They are very simple, it has a little cap. I mean a little circular piece here that wraps around this piece right here, just slides right over and then once that piece is on all the way, you just hold this and it’s a little pull and then boom that’s easy. And that foam gives it the ability to go around different edges and seal it right up,” he describes.
If you encounter frozen pipes, Lancaster advises going to your water cut-off valve and shutting off the water to prevent further damage.