Snow-covered winter weather brings things like sledding down the highest hill or snowball fights in the front yard. That being said, winter weather can be difficult on your home. Severely cold conditions can cause the water lines in your house's plumbing system to freeze and burst, which may result in significant water damage and long-lasting negative effects.

If your pipes are frozen solid, you may want to hire a plumber in Albuquerque to fix them. However, there’s a lot you can attempt to prevent this from happening – and even minor prevention can go a long way.

What Pipes Are at More Risk of Freezing

The pipes at the highest risk of freezing are uncovered water lines. Prevalent locations for uncovered pipes are within attic crawlspaces, near exterior walls, in the basement or even running underneath a modular home. Water lines that are not correctly insulated are at the biggest risk.

How to Stop Pipes from Freezing in Your Home

Properly insulating uncovered water lines is a solid first step to keeping your pipes safe. You’ll likely have access to most of these materials from a local plumbing company, and might also already have some inside your home.

Try not to wrap up other flammable insulation materials where they may be caught on fire. If you don’t feel comfortable insulating the pipes on your own, call your local plumbing services professional in Albuquerque to get the job done right.

If you do prefer to insulate the pipes by yourself, popular insulation materials for pipes consist of:

  • Wraps or roll insulation: Most plumbers, hardware stores and national retailers provide insulation – typically fiberglass, foam wraps or pipe sleeves – that you can wrap or fit around your pipes. They are sold in numerous lengths and sizes to suit the needs of your home.
  • Newspaper: To some degree, newspaper can be used for insulation. If the weather is getting colder and you aren’t able to put in more insulation soon enough, wrap uninsulated pipes in this.
  • Towels or rags: If you don't have the chance to buy insulation and don’t have any newspaper to use, wrapping particularly vulnerable pipes with towels or clean rags as a final effort may be just enough to keep the cold air away from the pipes.

Another preventative step you can take to stop pipes from becoming frozen is to seal up any cracks that may let cold air inside your home. Pay close attention to window frames, which can draw in surprisingly strong drafts. This not only will help to stop your pipes from freezing, but it will have the additional benefit of making your home more energy efficient.

Five More Ways to Keep Your Pipes from Freezing:

  • Open the cabinet doors. Opening the cabinet doors beneath the sinks and other spaces of your home with plumbing will allow more warm air from the rest of the room to flow near the pipes.
  • Letting water drip. Letting water flow by letting your faucets move even just a little can help thwart frozen pipes.
  • Open interior doors. By opening doors between rooms or hallways, your home can be heated more evenly. This is mostly important if you struggle with a room that tends to be colder or hotter than other rooms.
  • Close the garage door. The exception to the open doors advice is the garage door, which you should keep shut – particularly if your water lines can be found near or under the garage.
  • Keep the heat flowing. Experts recommend setting the thermostat at a stable temperature and leaving it alone, rather than letting it get lower at night. Set it no cooler than 55 degrees.

How to Keep Pipes from Freezing in an Unused Home

When you’re inside a house, it’s easy to realize when something breaks down. But what additional steps can you attempt to prevent pipes from freezing in an empty home or vacation home when the damage from a frozen pipe may not be discovered for some time?

As with the main residence, adding insulation to any exposed water lines, opening interior doors in the home and winterizing the vacant home are the best steps to attempt first.

Additional Steps to Stop Pipes from Freezing in an Unused Home:

  1. Leave the heat on. Even though you aren’t going to be there, it’s best to leave the heat on – even if you turn the thermostat down lower than you would if you were there. As with a primary house, experts encourage keeping the temperature at no cooler than 55 degrees.
  2. Shut water off and drain the lines. If you’re going to be away for a long time or are winterizing a seasonal cabin or cottage, turning the water off to the house and draining the water out of the water lines is an easy way to stop pipes from freezing and bursting open. Remember to drain the water out of your appliances, such as the hot water heater, or the toilets. Make sure you clear out all the water from the plumbing. If you're uncertain of how to flush the water from the pipes, or don’t feel comfortable performing it yourself, a plumber in Albuquerque will be happy to offer support.