Franchisor Stories
SPONSORED
Winter can be a testy time for homeowners as temperatures drop and pipes undergo additional stress. Here is what you need to know to protect your pipes and home.
Over a quarter million American homes end up with frozen or burst pipes each year, and winter is a common time for these issues to occur. The national average cost to repair a burst pipe is $500, but this can rise closer to $2,000 for more involved repairs. Because a burst pipe can spew up to 10 gallons of water into a home each minute, damages expand far beyond just the plumbing itself. By planning ahead of time, homeowners can avoid inconvenient and costly damages.
“I’ve seen all scenarios,” said Rebecca Powals, operations manager at RooterMan in Austin. “I’ve seen where a leak gets into the slab; that can cost thousands of dollars to detect and repair. If there’s a leak in the wall, you may have to reroute your pipes which can be anywhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars. You can get lucky and go through seasons without any freezes or bursts, but eventually, your luck will run out.”
When you begin to prepare, there are a few things you can do.
It is never too late to take these steps, and many qualified plumbers will be able to help you find the right fit for your home.
Just because you do not experience a frozen or burst pipe during the first or second freeze of the year does not mean you’re immune to future damage. Even if it has already dipped below freezing temperatures in your area, do not fall into the trap of assuming that your pipes have proven their integrity and will certainly last all winter. And, for people who live in areas that are less prone to cold, Powals says to remember that it may not freeze as frequently, but the nights when it does, precautions are necessary.
“When you get those freeze warnings, take them seriously,” she said. “It doesn’t take much, especially if you’re in an older neighborhood and your pipes have been around a while. People don’t realize that the expansion and contraction of copper piping can cause things like the soldering joints to come loose. Next thing you know, you’ve got a leak in your house.”
Just because the water in a pipe freezes does not mean that it will burst, and a pipe does not have to freeze all the way through for there to be an issue. However, if a pipe does fully freeze, a plumber can use a heat gun to slowly defrost it. If you want to do this step yourself, Powals says hair dryers are also effective. Slowly passing the hair dryer back and forth over a frozen pipe will help it defrost in a more controlled manner. This technique is typically most practical and preferred for small segments of pipe, like those found under a sink.
If a pipe does freeze or burst, having a pressure regulating valve and knowing where the main water cutoff is can be two great mitigating factors. A pressure regulating valve can prevent high water pressure that can build up within fragile pipes, decreasing the likelihood of a burst. In the worst-case scenario, if a pipe does burst, being able to simply shut off the water stream will prevent water from continually flooding in at up to 10 gallons per minute.
“That’s really important, especially if you have high water pressure. With frozen pipes that start to thaw, you still have that high pressure coming into your house, and having that pressure regulating valve works for your home,” Powals said. “I would also say to get a yearly inspection. We can come out once a year and do a full home evaluation to ensure your home is prepared and educate you about any potential problems. It can be very expensive when something goes wrong, so it’s always better to get ahead of the issue.”
Find more information about RooterMan at https://www.rooterman.com/.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
