Your plumbing system becomes extremely vulnerable during the winter season, and as such it is in your best interest to take the time and effort into protecting this invaluable system. Now is the best time for you get your home ready for winter by winterizing your plumbing system. Plumbing winterization is the process of preparing your residential plumbing system for the winter months. More specifically, plumbing winterization is the comprehensive endeavor of securing and insulating your plumbing system in preparation for days when the cold winter temperatures drop below 32 degrees, as this is when defenseless and exposed pipes break down causing plumbing system failure. Protect your home and follow the 10 plumbing winterization tips below:
Indoor Plumbing Winterization Tips
- Crawlspaces: Locate your crawlspace vents and shut them. Secure the openings of the vents with insulation. If you have moisture issues in your crawlspace you will need to reseal it before securing it shut.
- Doors and Windows: Pay careful attention to not let indoor temperatures drop too low. Be diligent in keeping windows, front doors, patio doors, back sliding doors, and garage doors closed- especially on days with freezing temperatures.
- Thermostat(s): Do not turn your heating system off in the winter when you are not home. When leaving your home, set the thermostat(s) to 58 degrees minimum.
Outdoor Plumbing Winterization Tips
- Outdoor Faucets: Turn off the water supply for outdoor faucets. Remove hose(s) from the yard and put away for the winter.
- Sprinkler Systems: Disable and drain sprinkler systems. If you have not done this before, you are encouraged to allow professionals to take care of this plumbing winterization task.
- Pools and Jacuzzis: Drain and clean out pools and Jacuzzis.
- Sump Pump: Now is the perfect time to conduct sump pump maintenance.
General Plumbing Winterization Tips
- Plumbing System Familiarize: First, you want to educate yourself on your plumbing system. Locate your pipes. Locate your mainline water shut off- this way if a plumbing system emergency were to occur you will know where to turn off the water supply. When turning off the main water supply line, make sure to also turn off plumbing fixtures to get pressure out of the pipes.
- Water Heater: Now is the perfect time to conduct water heater maintenance.
- Call a Plumbing Professional: There are many things you can do on your own to help protect your plumbing system from the harsh winter cold, however a comprehensive plumbing winterization plan requires the expertise of a plumbing professional.
Putting it All Together
Getting your home ready for the winter by winterizing your home is extremely important. Once you have performed the plumbing winterization tips above, the only thing left to do is call a reputable plumbing company to conduct an inspection. During this inspection, you can expect any plumbing system vulnerabilities that you missed to be highlighted and addressed. This is also a great time to ask any questions and schedule additional future plumbing maintenance if needed. If anything were to happen to your plumbing system, you will wish you took the initiative now- so don’t delay.
