Frozen pipes and flooding can make for many misadventures with plumbing in Grand Junction, CO. However, these events are not only stressful, but also quite expensive. If you would like to avoid plumbing emergencies this winter, here are some tips to follow to make this season much less eventful:
- Keep your furnace running: A well-running furnace does not just keep your home warm. It can also prevent your pipes from freezing and causing other issues. If your furnace is overdue for maintenance, schedule an appointment to have it checked out. The same is true if you remember having issues with it last year. Getting it working before the cold temperatures hit will yield benefits.
- Protect pipes from freezing: Before the cold temperatures hit, start wrapping insulation around exposed pipes. Place insulation tubes around the outdoor water fixtures to offer further protection from freezing. Also be sure to put away outdoor hoses, as those can also lead to pipes freezing.
- Find your main water shutoff valve: If you know where the shutoff valve is located, that will at least keep problems from becoming worse. The time you want to look for it is now, when there is no pressure—not when you have a basement flooding. This can prove essential whether you are waiting for an emergency plumbing visit or if you need time to figure out a do-it-yourself repair.
- Watch your drains: Clogged drains are challenging any time of the year. Add this possibility to the chance of frozen pipes and you are looking at a truly bad situation. Do not pour grease down the kitchen sink, and be careful not to overload the garbage disposal. With large family dinners, silverware down the drain is a frequent occurrence leading to back-ups in your pipes. Be more cautious than usual, especially if other overwhelming circumstances surround you.
- Check your sump pump: Sump pumps can freeze and stop working. During winter precipitation and snow melt, this can spell disaster. Check your pump’s functioning and insulation to assure that it will not freeze. You want to make sure it continues to keep your basement dry no matter the challenges the weather sends you this winter.
- Fix any leaks: Leaks that are merely annoying in warm temperatures can lead to pipes bursting in winter. If you know of a leak or merely suspect one, now is the best time to have that checked out and repaired. Keeping your plumbing infrastructure strong will prevent many of the most harrowing winter emergency possibilities.
- Consider a closer look at your hot water heater: Hot water heaters can corrode from the inside due to water sediment. The rust can also contaminate drinking and bathing water. If your tank has not been drained and inspected for a while, now is a good time to have it checked out. Going without hot water in the wintertime can be miserable, and you don’t want to risk that happening.
Double Diamond Plumbing in Grand Junction, CO is available for your plumbing repair and maintenance needs. Give us a call to schedule pre-winter repairs or to inspect your plumbing or furnace to ensure its readiness this season.