Boston Plumbing and Heating Blog

To prevent frozen pipes in your home during extremely cold weather conditions, hire professional plumbers in Boston, MA. Professional plumbers can pick up signs that pipes have the potential for freezing and can offer tips for prevention.

Homeowners can prevent frozen water pipes which are all too common during very cold temperatures like those we have been experience in Worcester and Boston this winter. If you have water supply lines in the garage, adjacent laundry room, or other cold or uninsulated area you have the potential for frozen water pipes. Most homes have pipes that run under counters and within cabinets. One preventive measure is to keep cabinet doors open in order let the warm air circulate and reach the pipe line underneath. Let the cold water in the faucet drip slowly overnight and periodically flush the toilet. This keeps the water moving so it is less likely to freeze. Keeping your house heated at 68 degrees or higher can also help.

While you can prepare for the cold, an expert plumber can help get your plumbing prepared as well. Professional plumbers can determine where the air is getting into your house and seal your pipes it immediately with insulation or other pipe insulation techniques. This ensures that exposed pipes will be properly insulated with pipe sleeves or heat cables.

To find out what needs to be done to keep your water pipes freezing, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

Frozen pipes are a common issue when there is an extreme drop in temperature. Water pipes usually freeze when cold air come in through dryer vents that are located nearby. This should be given immediate attention before pipes freeze and then burst, causing flooding.

Water expands as it freezes when exposed to severe cold temperatures. The pipes that run nearest the exterior walls of your home that are poorly insulated are particularly susceptible to very cold temperatures. When frozen, this expansion puts tremendous pressure on the pipes, regardless of if they are metal or plastic. Therefore, preventative measures need to be taken in order to keep the water in the pipes from freezing. Otherwise these pipes can burst causing out-of-control flooding which can be messy and often expensive to repair. Get the help from professional plumbers in Boston, MA to prevent the water pipes in your home from freezing.

The problem of frozen water pipes in Boston, Worcester can be worse when it is difficult to locate the frozen area or if the area of the pipe is not readily accessible. These and other problems can be solved with the proper equipment and a plumber with proper training. Whether in residential or commercial buildings, proper installation of pipe insulation is highly recommended to prevent pipes from freezing especially in extreme cold weather conditions. Additionally, your plumbing system may have other issues that need to be addressed so consulting a plumber before the extreme cold temperatures strike is important.

Preventing and thawing frozen water pipes should only be done with the help of professional plumbers. For more details, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.

Extremely low temperatures have become the norm creating a long busy winter season for plumbing companies because of frozen pipes and malfunctioning furnaces.

More and more homeowners are experiencing problems with flooding, frozen pipes and even frozen drain lines that started just before Christmas. More and more homeowners are contending with malfunctioning furnaces and frozen pipes in this latest round of below-normal temperatures.

To prevent frozen pipes, homeowners should be aware of the obvious causes like cracks in the walls or broken windows. Another cause of frozen pipes that most homeowners don’t think about is the cold air coming in through the dryer vents.

If you don't have a damper on your dryer vent, the wind will blow right in there. A lot of time you see dryer vents that are right near water pipes. The cold air will follow the vent right in and freeze the pipe.

Some homeowners attempt to address problems with frozen pipes themselves. Oftentimes this can be a recipe for disaster, since the average person does not have the proper equipment or training to deal with these plumbing issues.

Here are a few important suggestions for homeowners while they are waiting for professional plumbers to arrive. Locate your main water shutoff and turn it off after the pipe has frozen and before a pipe bursts in order to prevent flooding. Additionally, rather than using an open flame, which can lead to insulation igniting, Apply heat from an electric hair dryer or a hot rag on the frozen pipes.

Preventive measures are also good to keep in mind. The ideal temperature to keep the thermostat varies depending on the age of the home. If you have an older home you'll want to keep it a little warmer, newer homes are better insulated and don't seem to have as many problems. If you have a crawl space in your house you probably want to keep it at least 65 or 70 degrees.

Before the next winter season, wrap heat tape around your piping system to keep the heat around the pipes before they freeze or using foam pipe or regular pipe insulation. Another simple fix is to leave a faucet running a bit to keep water moving through your piping system since generally moving water does not freeze.

If you pipes have frozen, contact Greater Boston Heating and Plumbing.

WGRZ

During the winter in Boston and Worcester plumbing service companies get a high number of calls from people needing their water lines fixed.  As the cold weather settles in, many homeowners are worried about their heating costs rising and keeping their houses warm. Another cause for concern this time of year is frozen pipes.

Most of the plumbing problems this time of year are due to freezing pipes. Typically the frozen pipes are caused by open cracks in foundations, windows, and doors that leave pipes susceptible to the outside elements.

Make sure all windows are closed and that cracks are sealed. Any pipes that are within 10 to 12 inches to the outside walls should be insulated.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where your water pipes burst there are steps you need to take immediately in order to prevent a lot of damage in your home. First find the water meter, typically there is a main shut off valve there. Immediately shut that valve and then call your local plumber. Even just a minute of water running from a burst pipe can do thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to your home.

Also, to prevent frozen pipes, undo and turn off the water to your outside hoses and spickets. If you have an older home with a history of frozen pipes and the temperature is very cold, let some water slowly drip from your faucet overnight or while away. You can also keep the cabinet doors open underneath your sinks to let in the heat.

If find yourself with frozen pipes, contact Greater Boston Plumbing and Heating.