frozen pipe Archives - Always Plumbing & Heating

The Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist for the Winter

Your home is the place that you look for when you want comfort, and this means that you want to be able to ensure that it is winter-proof by the time that relentless cold weather hits your location.

It’s important to take the time to create a home maintenance checklist for the winter. The following tips are going to help you keep your home in top condition all year long, regardless of the freezing temperatures.

Get maintenance done on your pipes to avoid freezing

There are many issues that come with the winter, but one of the most common and annoying is when you deal with frozen pipes. Giving proper maintenance and performing certain modifications on your water lines is going to help you avoid this problem.

There are many issues to look into that include ensuring frost-free hose bibs, drained exterior water lines, small leak inspections for your entire plumbing system, and properly insulated plumbing lines near the exterior walls.

Keep your furnace in top shape

When your furnace is not working properly, you are going to be spending more money due to decreased performance. The longer it takes you to give maintenance to your furnace, the more likely it is that you will have to spend more money on repairs. The good news is that you can avoid all of those hassles by hiring a good furnace maintenance provider. Just make sure that you are able to do this before the winter starts.

Get maintenance done on your boiler

Not everyone has a boiler system, but many commercial buildings do, as do homes that have in-floor heating. Boilers can be affected by the winter cold and their performance can be severely damaged while also cutting their lifespan. Getting maintenance done in order to keep everything working properly is going to save you a lot of time and hassles with expensive repairs or replacements. The sooner you do this, the more likely it is that your boiler will be working properly for years to come.

Perform a general check up on your property

Getting everything checked on your property is going to be extremely important before the winter. This is the season when most property damage occurs and it usually happens due to lack of maintenance.

At Always Plumbing and Heating LTD, we can handle the maintenance for your furnace, boiler, and pipes as well as any other issues that may need to be checked before or after winter hits your area.

If you need this done as soon as possible, you can give us a call at 780-489-8118 and we will make sure that your home is ready to face the cold winter weather!

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

In chilly Alberta winters, water lines can freeze if frost is pushed below the waterline. The pipes in your home can also freeze due to extreme temperatures, wind chills, or furnace failures which result in no heat in your home. You should be familiar with how to prevent your pipes from freezing, and what to do in the unfortunate event that they do freeze.

5 Easy Steps To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing

Never turn your furnace off! You should keep your home heated consistently throughout winter, even if you aren’t going to be home. You can get a smart thermostat that will notify you on your mobile device if the temperature in your home gets below a safe level, in the event that your furnace malfunctions while you are away. The majority of furnace failures happen during extreme cold snaps, which incidentally can result in frozen pipes if not dealt with right away.
Insulate your outdoor water lines. Wrap water lines near outdoor walls and hose bibs with insulation.
Turn off your outdoor hoses. In the fall you should ensure that your hoses are disconnected and the tap is turned completely off. Failure to do so can result in cracked hose bibs as the temperatures freeze and thaw, which can result in flooding in your basement.
Check your hot water tank. Ensure that it is in a room that is adequately heated. You should have your hot water tank inspected annually by a professional.
If you go away for vacation, turn your water off before you leave. Go into your utility room and find the main water line shut off and ensure it is off. Then open all the taps in your house to run the residual water out. This way, you will be better protected should the unfortunate event that your pipes freeze while you are away. But remember to leave your furnace on.

How to Check if Your Pipes are Frozen

If you have only a trickle of water, or no running water, coming from any of your faucets, you may have a frozen pipe.
If you see any frost on exposed pipes, it is quite possibly frozen.
If you see a bulge in any pipes, it may be frozen.
If your toilets don’t refill after flushing, you may have frozen pipes.

How to Fix Frozen Pipes

If you suspect your pipes are frozen, turn off the water line to that part of the house, or turn the main water line off.
Locate the frozen area. If you cannot locate it, call a plumber as soon as possible.
If you determine where the pipes are frozen, you can attempt to thaw it with a space heater or hairdryer, provided it is a narrow pipe. Once it is adequately thawed, you can turn your water back on and check for any leaks. If you notice any leaks or still have no water flow, turn your water line back off immediately, and call a professional plumbing company for assistance.

Most frozen pipes can be thawed, damage-free if caught in time. If you think a frozen pipe may have burst in your Edmonton home, call Always Plumbing and Heating. We provide emergency service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

How to Handle a Burst Pipe (in Winter)

Northern Alberta is under an Extreme Cold Warning with wind chill values of -40 to -45 expected to persist into Saturday. This is frozen and burst pipe weather.

We’ve written about how to prevent and thaw frozen pipes, but what happens if it’s too late for that?

Hopefully you can thaw the frozen area or contact a licensed plumber before the pipe bursts and causes expensive property damage. If, however, you do notice a broken or burst pipe, here’s how to handle it.

Burst Pipe Signs

Here are some signs you have a leaking or burst pipe in your home:

Dripping sounds
Puddles of water
Water spots and damage to ceilings and walls
Lack of water pressure
Main water shut-off shows a leak

How to Handle a Burst Pipe

In the event of a burst pipe, be prepared to act fast.

In the event of a leaking, broken, or burst pipe, turn off the main water supply to prevent any further damage. While you can make a temporary repair while you wait for a plumber’s availability, the pipe will have to be replaced as soon as possible.

Turn Off Main Water Shut-Off

To be safe, if you notice a leaking, broken, or burst pipe, turn off the main water shut-off valve. In the event of an emergency, everyone in the household should know where the main water shut-off is located and how to turn it off.

Consult your property inspection report or professional plumber if you don’t know the location of the shut-off valve. Don’t wait until your pipes burst to start looking!

Turn the valve clockwise to turn it off. Keep in mind that you may have to turn the gate valve several turns to shut it off.

Turn Off Electricity If Necessary

If water has already entered your home and is in danger of contacting any electrical equipment, turn off power to that area of the home. Make sure you turn off the water first, then shut off power at the circuit breaker with dry hands and feet.

Contact a Plumber

As soon as you turn off the water supply to prevent any further damage, contact a professional plumber right away. Not all plumbing companies are 24/7, but if you live in the Edmonton or Fort McMurray area, Always Plumbing & Heating is always available.

The sooner you schedule professional plumbing service, the less expensive your costs will be. Your plumber will also help guide you to the right decision concerning the associated water damage. You may need to contact a water damage specialist for severe cases.

Remove as Much Water as You Can

In order to prevent moisture-related problems, such as mold and mildew, clean up as much of the water as you can. Use wet/dry shop vacuums, rags, mops, buckets, whatever you can. Run a dehumidifier if you have one.

Be on the lookout for early signs of frozen pipes, such as reduced water flow and freezing temperatures. Most plumbing ruptures can be prevented.

If you think a pipe may have burst in your Edmonton home, turn off the water supply and contact Always Plumbing and Heating at780-489-8118 (Edmonton) or 587-601-1253 (Fort McMurray).

We provide emergency service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Winter Plumbing Tips

Tag: frozen pipe