Frozen pipes are no fun to come home to or wake up to. There are several reasons pipes freeze, ranging from lack of insulation to quick drops in temperature, from the temperature being set to low to the wind blowing on an outside wall.
Here are some tips to help prevent this from happening:
• Keep your thermostat set to 68 degrees or above on extremely cold days or nights.
• Make sure pipes are properly insulated.
• Keep water slowly flowing (turn faucets on a warm drip).
• Open access panels or cabinets. Simply opening a cabinet below a sink or pantry door will allow warm air to flow through.
• Seal cracks and openings. If you have vents or drafty areas, consider adding foam insulation or even setting bales of straw outside the exposed area.
Pipes can thaw on their home but here are a few things you can do if your pipe freezes:
• First make sure you know exactly where to find the shut offs and how to operate them.
• Shut off the water supply to that section of plumbing or entire house if that’s the only option.
• When a pipe freezes, it acts like a plug. When the plug thaws water gushes out. It’s a good idea to gather a mop, bucket and extra towels in case of a leak.
• Apply heat to the frozen section. You can use a hair dryer, electric heater at a low setting, heating pads or even towels soaked in hot water. Never use an open flame device.
• Stay present during the thawing process.
If your pipe(s) do burst, shut off the water immediately and do what you can to prevent any further damage to the home or personal belongings. Call a contractor as soon as possible, take photos, and call your insurance agent.
Your Friends In The Insurance Business at Midland's Ieuter Insurance Group can answer your insurance coverage questions.
For all your insurance needs, visit us at https://www.ieuter.com
Ieuter Insurance Group - 414 Townsend St Midland MI 48640
(989) 487-1758
Social accounts:
https://www.facebook.com/ieuterinsurancegroup/
https://twitter.com/ieuterinsurance
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ieuter-insurance-group/ https://www.instagram.com/ieuterinsurance/