Plumbing Tips for Winter: How to Keep Your Pipes Safe from Freezing

The arrival of wintry weather across America brings with it a host of worries, the least of which is how to protect your home from the plunging temperatures outside. Home plumbing systems are especially vulnerable to cold snaps, and failing to take measures to keep your plumbing from freezing can result in burst pipes and other problems. Here’s how to help your plumbing system withstand the worst of winter.

How Winter Affects Your Home’s Plumbing System

Cold winter weather affects a plumbing system in two primary ways. It can cause water within the system to freeze, and it makes pipes, fittings, and other material components more brittle and inflexible. Frozen and brittle pipes pose a problem for several reasons. 

• Burst pipes. When water freezes into ice, it expands, taking up more space within the pipe. As water continues to flow into the system, the amount of pressure builds, eventually compromising the pipe. 
   
• Blockages. Even if the pipes withstand the increase in pressure, a frozen portion of the plumbing system can effectively create an ice dam, blocking water from flowing throughout the system and cutting off the supply at the tap.
   
• Damaged valves and fittings. Greater pressure within the plumbing system can also bring about issues with the main water valve, secondary valves, or joints where two pipes are fitted together. 
   
• Low water pressure. Ice blockages that don’t totally stop water flow can still cause problems with water pressure. Because a limited amount of water is passing through the pipe, the pressure in the system plummets. You will notice weak water flow when you open the tap at the sink, shower, or bath.
   
• Water damage and mold. Water leaking from a burst pipe or damaged connection can damage the walls, ceiling, and floor. Left unchecked, moisture in your home will promote mold growth. 
   

Note that the likelihood and severity of these problems are dependent on several contributing factors. These can include:

• Intensity of the cold 
• Duration of continuous below-freezing weather
• Age of the home’s plumbing system
• Pipe’s location in the home
• Amount of insulation protecting the pipes
• Water pressure and flow rate 

The Most Vulnerable Pipes And How to Protect Them

Not all segments of a residential plumbing system face the same risk of freezing in cold weather. Generally, pipes safely within the home’s interior are less likely to freeze. Here are the parts of your plumbing system that you need to worry about.

• External pipes. Pipes that run outdoors are most at risk of freezing in cold weather. Avoid this problem by closing the valves that supply these pipes, then drain the pipes by running the outdoor taps until water ceases to flow. 
  
  Underground pipes may be vulnerable as well. Freezing temperatures can cause sewer line problems, for example, if the pipe is above the frost line or if the cold snap is especially severe. If you know your sewer line is not deep enough to withstand a bad winter, you can cover the ground above the pipe with a blanket of durable and weatherproof insulating material.
   
• Pipes in uninsulated and unheated parts of the home. Pipework in garages, attics, basements, and crawlspaces can also more easily suffer damage from below-freezing temperatures. These parts of the home are not usually heated and may have limited, if any, insulation. Protect exposed pipes by applying insulation and sealing air leaks.
   
• Pipes along exterior walls. Pipes in heated parts of the home can freeze too, particularly if they run inside walls that abut the home’s exterior. Keep the home heated to at least 55°F, even when away for extended periods.

Insulation Strategies That Actually Work in Cold Weather

There are a few methods of keeping pipes warm all winter long. Depending on the pipe’s location or the average intensity of cold weather in your area, you may need to use more than one method.

1. Foam pipe sleeves
   Pipe sleeves are a cheap and effective solution for any accessible cold-water pipes in unheated areas or exterior walls. Be sure to buy sleeves that fit your pipes snugly, leaving no air gaps, and don’t neglect bends and fittings.
    
2. Fiberglass pipe wrap
   Because it is heat resistant, fiberglass insulation can be a great choice for insulating hot-water pipes in your home. 
    
3. Heat tape and heating cables
   When foam or fiberglass insulation isn’t enough, you can install electric heat tape or cables. These wrap around the pipe and generate heat to keep it from freezing, making them excellent tools for protecting your home in extreme cold weather. 
    
4. External weatherproofing
   In addition to pipework maintenance and insulation, you can take measures to keep unheated areas of your home from getting too cold. Use weatherproofing materials to seal any air gaps in your garage, attic, basement, or crawlspaces. Additional insulation along exterior walls can help as well.

Insurance and Winter Damage: What’s Actually Covered?

If winter’s chill gets the better of you, you’ll have to quickly manage the clean-up and plumbing fixes that follow from a burst pipe. You may be left asking: are frozen pipes covered by insurance?

Homeowner’s insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of repairing the broken pipe, but it may pay out a claim to repair the damage that results from the burst. This is not a guarantee, however. It depends on the nature of your policy, and many insurers will reject a claim if they determine the accident resulted from homeowner negligence.

Home warranty coverage may be a different story. A home warranty with plumbing coverage may cover part of the cost to repair a damaged or leaky pipe, but it is unlikely to cover any of the secondary damage that results from a leak.

How to Winter-Proof Your Plumbing Before the Cold Arrives

To save yourself a mad scramble when temperatures suddenly plunge, you can get ahead of any winter-related plumbing issues by following a simple winter maintenance checklist at the beginning of the season. Here are some essential winter plumbing maintenance tasks to include.

1. Check the condition of existing pipe insulation and repair as needed. Apply new foam sleeves or fiberglass insulation to exposed and accessible pipes.
2. Install heating cables or heat tape to especially vulnerable pipes.
3. Close the valves that supply water to outdoor taps, then open the taps to drain water from the pipes.
4. Check the garage, basement, attic, crawlspaces, and other unheated areas for air gaps or poor seals. Apply or reapply weatherstripping, insulation, or other materials to mitigate colder temperatures.
5. Keep the thermostat set to a minimum of 55°F when away from home for extended periods.
6. Develop a plumbing emergency plan to prepare for power outages and severe cold. Know where to shut off your home’s water source, and consider using a generator to power electric heating cables or heat tape.

Comprehensive Plumbing Protection

Despite all manner of responsible maintenance, malfunctions in and around the home are bound to arise. You can more effectively budget for these welcome surprises by investing in comprehensive home warranty protection. Discover more about Liberty Home Guard’s unparalleled plumbing coverage by calling (833)-545-6630.