How to Prevent Common Winter Plumbing Problems

November 11, 2016

This time of year comes with so much excitement – precious trick-or-treaters, family gathered around Thanksgiving dinners, and the magic of the holidays. But with the wonderful comes the terrible. The cold weather and bitter temperatures can cause a whole mess of plumbing problems. Midway Services is here with some preventative measures to help you decrease your chance of encountering these common winter plumbing problems.

 

Frozen Pipes

Your pipes becoming frozen is a common plumbing problem for Clearwater. This commonly takes place when high water pressure through the main water pipe unites with freezing temperatures. To help keep this from occurring in your home, leave a faucet somewhat open to make sure the water can constantly flow through. If you do discover a frozen pipe, shut off the main water supply to keep the pipe from rupturing. Try warming the frozen area of the pipe with heated water and if that fails, give Midway Services a call and we’ll send one of our professional plumbers out to look at the issue.

Broken Water Line

An opening or break in your water piping could cause significant damage to your home. Water piping cracks or breaks are commonly a result of a frozen garden hose. If you keep your hose connected to your water spout after a freeze, the ice inside can force pressure to build up in your home’s water pipes and result in a leak or a break. To avert this situation, confirm your garden hoses are drained and disconnected before freezing temperatures set in.

Failing Hot Water Systems

If your hot water heater is not functioning as well as expected, confirm the temperature is set high enough. If you have a gas water heater, ensure the pilot light is still lit. If everything looks right, call Midway Services so we can send out a qualified plumber to evaluate what’s going on. To avert this trouble altogether, make sure you are getting your annual hot water heater maintenance and it’s ideal if you service it well before cooler temperatures arrive. Call 727-219-2471 to be sure you don’t get left in the cold this winter.