Winter is upon us and if you have not already, now is the time to winterize your home’s plumbing system. The Portland, OR and Beaverton, OR areas experience extremely cold temperatures during the winter season, and your plumbing system could suffer immensely if you neglect to prepare it accordingly. Every winter in the greater Portland area, residents find themselves experiencing plumbing emergencies due to their pipes freezing and breaking. If your pipes crack, or break, you must call a professional immediately before the damage gets out of hand. Plumbing emergencies are so common in the Pacific Northwest that it could be difficult to find a professional to assist you quickly when you are in a pinch. To help avoid a plumbing emergency in your home this winter, below you will find plumbing winterizing tips to help you protect your home’s plumbing system.
Winterizing Plumbing Tips for Portland, OR & Beaverton, OR
- Become familiar with your home’s plumbing system. Knowing where your water heater, water supply, boilers, heaters, and drainage taps is good information to have in the case of a plumbing emergency. You should also know where the main water shut off is located, as well as what year the home was built.
- Inspect all visible piping going into the home and caulk around them.
- Ensure that all foundation vents are securely shut. You may need to secure the vents with Styrofoam to ensure they are completely closed.
- Cut off water supply to outside water fixtures. Locate the water shut off valve for outdoor plumbing fixtures and shut it off during the winter weather. Once this has been shut off, be sure to drain all the water from the outdoor system so the water does not freeze and crack the pipes. You must also shut off the water supply tap that services the outdoor fixtures as well. Understanding your plumbing system is imperative when shutting off water valves and water supply taps.
- Protect outdoor water fixtures by insulating them with faucet/hose bibs, old clothes, newspaper, or foam.
- Protect indoor pipes in colder places in the home by insulating them with pipe sleeves found at your local hardware store.
- Make sure pipes located in cabinetry get exposed to heat from the home. This is an old trick; simply open the cabinetry throughout your home so that unexposed pipes can benefit from the heat especially when the temperatures are below freezing.
- When temperatures are below freezing allow water fixtures to drip cold water.
These are the most common plumbing winterizing tips for those in the Portland, OR and Beaverton, OR areas. Good plumbing winterizing always begins with educating yourself on your home’s plumbing system; this way no matter what may happen, you will at least have the knowledge to assist professionals in alleviating any issues you may encounter quickly. If winterizing your plumbing system seems overwhelming, call DF Construction today and we would be happy to assist you in preparing your home’s plumbing system for this winter season.
