This year, with the cold weather coming in like a lion, it’s time to think about frozen pipes in Overland Park. First of all, do you know where your water shut-off valve is located? Before you do anything else, go to your basement or garage and find your water shut off. Be sure to tag it so everyone in your household knows where it is and how to turn it off in the case of an emergency of burst or frozen pipes.
This week’s home maintenance tip
Before it gets any colder outside, be sure to disconnect your outside water hoses. By leaving your hoses connected, the water in them can freeze, expand and back up into the spigot and actually burst an interior pipe. This happened to so many people last year in Kansas City.
How to prevent frozen pipes in Overland Park
I don’t know about you but last year was a winter I won’t soon forget. My pipes froze and I was without water for almost a week. Once they froze, I opened all of my faucets only to come home one day and I heard the water running. Yay! And without any damage to my pipes and without any sinks filling up and overflowing.
There are several precautions you can do to help keep your pipes warm and prevent frozen pipes in Overland Park during the frigid winter temperatures.
Open your cabinet doors
The first thing you always hear about is to open your cabinet doors if you have interior sinks located on exterior walls. If that’s your situation, it’s normal for your plumbing to be vulnerable because the exterior walls are not insulated. The cold air from the outside can and will cause frozen pipes. Open the doors under your sinks to allow the heat from the room to get in there and keep the pipes warm.
Leave the faucets dripping
When the temperatures drop to below freezing, be sure to leave your faucets on those exterior wall sinks at a slow drip. This will keep the water moving through the pipes. It may increase your water bill a little, but that small increase will be much cheaper than burst or frozen pipes.
How to know if you have frozen pipes
If your water pressure is low, you may have a frozen pipe somewhere in the house. A pipe that feels extremely cold to the touch may be frozen. It’s imperative to clear the blockage as soon as possible to prevent a pipe from bursting in some inaccessible area of your home.
If you have no water service, more than likely the mainline from the street may be frozen. Call me at (913) 515-3250 for a referral to an honest plumber to assist you.
Thawing frozen pipes in Overland Park
If you think you can solve the problem of a frozen pipe yourself, go ahead and try. Open a nearby faucet slightly so the pipe can drain as it starts to thaw. You can use a hairdryer or heating pad to thaw a frozen pipe. Do not use in standing water as you could be electrocuted. Do not use a blow torch or pour hot water onto frozen pipes.
Need a plumber?
If you need a referral to a plumber for any regular or emergency service, please call or text me at (913) 515-3250 anytime 24/7. Heaven forbid you call one of those plumbers that advertise heavily on television. That one mistake alone could cost you thousands of your hard-earned dollars. Please allow me to refer you to someone who is NOT on my own personal DO NOT CALL LIST and will look out for your best interests.
Want to know the real value of your home versus the dreaded Zillow Zestimate? Click here to see what’s selling in your neighborhood!