As the weather gets colder, it’s not just the worry of having to wrap up warm and crank the thermostat up a notch or two that you need to consider. The winter months bring their own set of problems to the water system in your home, with frozen pipes, leaks and burst pipes being a common occurrence for homeowners all over the country.
The key to avoiding such issues is to make sure that you’re prepared. There are plenty of ways in which you can make sure that, during this winter season, you’re not facing any expensive hiccups and repair work; instead, you can relax and spend quality time with your family in front of the TV or a cosy fire.
Keep Gutters Clear
It’s not the nicest job in the world, but clearing the gutters of fallen leaves and debris this autumn can help to prepare your home ready for the cold spell. If you’re not careful, this debris can cause serious issues further down the line and, while you may not know how drain jetting works, you may need to ask for the help of a plumber to come and help you to rid your drains of any stubborn blockages.
If you don’t feel comfortable unblocking the gutters yourself, there will be a handyman in your area who has experience in the field – give him a call rather than risking it if you’re not confident in doing so.
The fact of the matter is that, in many cases, when more serious interventions such as drain jetting are required, it’s completely avoidable. Simple maintenance checks and tackling the issue in its early days can help to delay the need for any serious work. Do you need someone to unblock your drains? Call in the experts – they know how to do it, fast.
Insulate Exterior Pipes
If you have any exposed pipes, make sure that they’re suitably lagged to keep the cold at bay. Your outside tap, if you have one, would also benefit from some form of insulation – even if it just a tea towel wrapped around it for the duration of the winter. Turn the water off at the mains too so that there’s no water left in the tap and its connecting pipes.
Make sure that, when you turn on the radiators after the summer spell, you check to see if any have frozen and help to keep them in good condition by pouring hot water down them at once a week. This will also help to keep them free of blockages, too.
Bleed the Radiators
If you find that your radiators aren’t heating uniformly, it is probably due to air pockets in the system. Bleed the radiators to get rid of the air and allow the water to circulate properly.
It’s a simple job that is so often ignored. Just grab the radiator key, pop a bowl underneath in case there’s any overflow, bleed them until the air has escaped and Bob’s your uncle!
Don’t let your pipes and drains cause you problems this winter – think ahead and you shouldn’t have to worry about emergency call-outs or unpleasant chores!
Living in Michigan I know how important it is to winterize your home, inside and out. Great blog article!
i am going to start working in Hamburg and i need to get used to this things, in Madrid it is not that cold
I think home safety articles are so useful! Thank you dear!
I live in NM and did not wrap pipes in 2011 we had a 4 day freeze and did I have busted pipes. This is a great reminder of what should be done.
Great tips and ideas-information I can use
I live in Texas so it rarely gets Cold enough for the Pipes to freeze, but when it does, I often have had to go out in the Cold and wrap the Pipes, I will now go and do it ahead of time.
Thanks for the post and the reminder!
very good advice how to winterize your home re: gutters
Great advice!! Much needed because this happens almost every year to my pipes.
Never knew about “bleeding” the radiators. Thanks!
Good tips, I never really think about doing anything to prepare for winter.
I once had pipes freeze on me, so this information is helpful.
Great advice! Wouldn’t want a mishap during the cold season!
You need to take care of your home this winter start now make sure your pipes are not frozen.
Thank you for the tips on drains and pipes.
My husband passed away and this is a job that falls on me now. I appreciate the tips on how to protect the drains and pipes. I remember he used to say it was important for them not to freeze.
great information, I live where the temps fall well below zero and this year I forgot about the gutters . thanks for the reminder
A few years ago my husband and I “dumped” the house and moved to a condo. Reading your post brought back all the nightmare memories of coming home to frozen pipes when we’d been away…so glad we don’t have to even think about this any more!
Great tips! We had trouble with the radiators year after year after year – until someone suggested that we bleed them. ….duh……Should have thought of that ourselves. Better late than never, though, I guess!