Kemah Plumbing Repairs

Winterizing Your Texas Gulf Coast Home: Protection Against Kemah Plumbing Repairs Caused by Freezing Temps

One of the benefits of living in South Texas is our mild winter weather; most are willing to give up outdoor ice skating for the more moderate and comfortable temperatures. But this does mean that lengthy winter blasts can catch us off guard and at risk from the damage of extremely low temperatures that cause Kemah Plumbing Repairs. This is especially true concerning residential plumbing. In order to be prepared, it is best to consider some worst-case scenarios. Wise homeowners can respond to protect their homes against the cold and avoid Kemah Plumbing Repairs.

Start with Outside Faucets

Pool owners know how to winterize to protect their investments, and the same principles apply to lawn sprinklers and faucets connected to the side of the home.

• – Drain the water from sprinklers and hoses. Disconnect hoses and bring them indoors. Water expands when it freezes and this expansion is responsible for burst pipes, no matter what the pipe material.
• – Consider purchasing an insulated faucet cover, especially for faucets on the north side of the house. Insulation creates a thermal barrier, preventing the rapid flow of heat or cold.
• – When replacing exterior faucets, consider a frost-free outdoor faucet, with the shutoff valve on the interior of the home.

Protect Exposed Pipes

Residential insulation creates a barrier between conditioned space (inside spaces that receive heat and air conditioning) and unconditioned space (including attics, uninsulated garages, and crawl spaces). Places where pipes are exposed to unconditioned space become very vulnerable during deep cold temperatures. Kemah Plumbing Repairs Solutions include:

• – Using pipe insulation to keep the cold from reaching the pipes.
• – In hard-to-access spaces, it is a good idea to wrap the pipe with heat tape—an electric wire that applies heat to the pipe to keep it from freezing.

Speaking of Insulation

Conditioned space is made possible by insulation. Many of the creature comforts we enjoy, compared to our pioneer and settler ancestors, are made possible by insulation.

• – Most insulation is covered when wallcoverings are installed during construction. Usually, the only space with uncovered insulation is the attic. Measure the insulation depth. The attic should be covered with a 12” blanket of fiberglass or cellulose insulation; if spray foam insulation was installed in your home it should be 4 to 7 inches of foam.
• – A second area of concern is the seal around windows and doors. Small gaps create big drafts, and the solution is to caulk window and door frames.

What does insulation have to do with plumbing? It is what separates conditioned and unconditioned space, making indoor plumbing possible.

Power Outage Protection

It is unlikely that a winter storm will cut power for a long spell during the South Texas winter, but if it does. Here are some tips to prevent Kemah Plumbing Repairs:

• – Open cabinets and vanities under sinks to expose pipes to the remaining heat.
• – Open each faucet slightly to let the water drip. It is not a guarantee that pipes will not freeze up, but moving water takes much longer to freeze.
• – If the outage forces an evacuation, be sure to close the shut-off valve and open a few faucets. These are the best practices to prevent burst pipes and costly Kemah Plumbing Repairs.

If a prolonged power outage happens and you suspect the water has frozen inside your pipes, these steps can be taken when power is restored.

• – Expanding water can burst pipes made from any material, so be prepared to respond quickly.
• – Turn on several faucets to see whether water continues to flow. If it flows from some faucets and not others, ice in the pipe is the potential cause.
• – Restored power means the home will become a conditioned space again, which will thaw any ice in the pipes. Examine every exposed pipe, looking for bulging pipes or leaking water. Remember, the water is under pressure, so even a very small leak is likely to release a lot of water.
• – Follow the known path of water lines throughout the home from the main shutoff valve to each site of water usage. Look for water, for wet drywall, floors, or ceilings. Monitor the situation for several days, since it may take a while for the leak to develop.

Doctor Cool Provides Winterizing Tips for Protecting Your Texas Gulf Coast Home’s Plumbing from Freezing Temps

To protect your Texas Gulf Coast home from costly Kemah plumbing repairs during freezing temps, start by winterizing outside faucets, draining hoses, and installing insulation. Exposed pipes should be insulated or wrapped with heat tape to prevent freezing, and attic insulation should be checked for adequate coverage. In case of power outages, open cabinets to expose pipes to heat and allow faucets to drip, reducing the risk of burst pipes due to frozen water.

Let Doctor Cool assist with all of your winterizing questions to prevent costly Kemah Plumbing Repairs. Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat today at 281-338-8751 or email Doctor Cool and let our professional Residential Kemah Plumbing Repairs Contractors assist with all of your plumbing winterizing needs.