With the severely cold temperatures permeating much of the United States this winter, it is important to remain vigilant when it comes to your plumbing pipes. When the temperatures dip below 32 degrees, pipes in un-insulated areas of your home that have not been insulated or wrapped in heat tape are susceptible to freezing.
1. None of Your Taps Produce Water
There are two reasons why your taps would not produce water in the winter. Either your water company has shut off the water to perform repairs, or your plumbing pipes have frozen. A quick phone call to your water company will let you know the status of the water system in your area. If they say the water is on, you probably have frozen plumbing pipes.
In this instance, you should turn on all your taps to alleviate pressure in the lines. This includes your showers and/or baths. Next, you should call a professional plumber to thaw your lines.
2. Some of Your Taps Produce Water
If you turn on your taps and some of them do not produce water and/or you see frost on your water pipe, there is a good chance the pipe is frozen. This happens when the temperature dips below freezing, and you forgot to open your cabinets. To prevent the pipe from bursting, open the taps to the sink to alleviate the pressure between the ice blockage and the faucet.
To thaw a frozen pipe under a sink, you can install temporary heat tape from your local hardware store if you have an outlet close to the area. You can also set-up a space heater and point it near the frozen pipes. However, this also requires an outlet extremely close to the pipe as space heaters should never be plugged into extension cords or surge protectors.
If you cannot reach the pipe or you are not sure you can safely thaw it, give Hanna Plumbing & Heating a call to help you thaw your pipes in the safest possible manner.
3. You Hear Water But You Are Not Using Any Water
If you hear water but you do not have any water turned on, there is a good chance that one of your pipes has frozen and burst. This is a plumbing emergency.
You should immediately locate the water shutoff valve to your home and turn off your water to prevent water damage and an extremely high water bill. Then, you should call the professional plumbers at Hanna Plumbing & Heating in Marion, IA to repair your burst pipe and help you prevent frozen pipes in the future.
To schedule plumbing emergency service, call Hanna Plumbing & Heating at 319-377-2809.
