The approaching winter season means a lot of lovely things for many folks in the Toronto area: plans for skiing and ice hockey, excitement for the holidays and the cozy feeling of drinking hot tea by a warm fire. But unfortunately, winter can also wreak havoc on your house’s plumbing, particularly when it comes to frozen pipes.
As any plumber in Toronto will tell you, frozen pipes can be a big inconvenience. However, if they are dealt with in the right way, the damage can be kept to a minimum, or even prevented altogether. With that in mind, here is an overview of everything you need to know about frozen pipes.
Preventing frozen pipes
Fortunately, there are many different fairly easy measures you can take to greatly reduce the risk of your pipes freezing. You need to keep in mind that any opening to a pipe can let cold air in and lead to freezing, so you should take the time to ensure there are no leaks or unprotected openings in your pipes. Additionally, any indoor pipes that are exposed should be given as much warmth as possible, perhaps in the form of a small space heater. Be sure to at least keep your heater on low during harsh cold spells, even when you leave the house.
For outdoor pipes, you will need to put in a bit more work. If you are able to shut off all external faucets, this might be the best solution, especially during freezing temperatures. You also ought to disconnect your garden hose, and know where your water main line is located so that you can completely turn it off if need be.
Signs your pipes are frozen
Recognizing that you have frozen pipes is fairly easy, and can usually be identified in one of two ways: either no water comes out when you turn your faucet on, or you hear water running even when your faucet is off. This latter sign indicates that frozen water in your pipes has caused them to burst, and the water is leaking out of them.
If you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out, you can try to use the prevention methods above to gently warm the pipes. However, by no means should you use a blowtorch or similar object to try and thaw them. This is very dangerous, and you might end up setting your home on fire.
How to fix frozen pipes
Now that you know what not to do in the event of frozen pipes, it is important that you also know what you should do. The answer is simple: call a trusted plumber in Toronto! If your plumber is experienced and resourceful, they will be able to thaw out your pipes by minimizing damage. Some plumbers, like Rooter Group Inc., even have a special electric thaw machine for copper pipes.
If you find yourself in need of a plumber in Toronto for frozen pipes or any other reason this winter season, we hope you will not hesitate to call Rooter Group Inc. for help.