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Water on, heat off at 10 degrees means a flooded office building, falling ceilings, and ruined floors throughout. Winterize to prevent flooding and water damage in your home or office.

Fall is a great time to make sure you are prepared for freezing winter temperatures – check out these tips:
Water and plumbing issues can happen anytime. Winter, however, can create difficulty for your household pipes and fixtures.

Frigid winter weather is the worst time to deal with messy plumbing issues, indoors or out. Now’s the time — before that first cold snap hits — to pay attention to plumbing preventive maintenance for winter.

Insulate water pipes. Buy slip-on foam insulation sleeves at a local home center and cut them to size. Install the sleeves on all you can access of cold or hot water supply pipes, anywhere they are exposed to outdoor cold.

Seal out cold air. Look for cracks or gaps where outdoor air can contact water supply lines routed through unconditioned zones like the crawl space, the voids inside exterior walls, and the attic. Seal these openings with exterior caulking or expanding spray foam insulation in a can. For large openings, close the space with a wood patch cut to size.

Freezing in outdoor faucets
and other fixtures can actually rupture indoor pipes and cause flooding. Before cold weather hits, detach your garden hoses, drain the water out and store them. Drain underground sprinklers if you have them. If you have frost-proof outdoor faucets, shut off the indoor valve that supplies water and drain residual water from the faucet.

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Frozen sprinkler pipe

A sudden 10 degree cold snap popped this condo’s sprinkler system letting water flood into the home and ruin the hardwood floors.

Be proactive during hard freezes. If temperatures below 28 degrees are forecast for an extended period, take action to prevent pipe freezing and subsequent ruptures. Open indoor taps to allow a trickle of water that prevents pipe breakage due to freezing. Set the furnace thermostat to maintain indoor temperatures of at least 70 degrees and open cabinets and closet doors so heat circulates into wall areas where pipes are present. If you suspect a frozen pipe, don’t wait for it to thaw. Contact a plumber immediately.

For more information about avoiding winter plumbing problems that might cause household water damage, ask the professionals at The Flood Medix for help 24/7. Call 361-6180 for help.

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