Plumbing emergencies always occur at inconvenient times. However, a homeowner’s worst nightmare is needing an emergency plumber while on vacation. Vacations should be a time to relax and, for many, an opportunity to exchange freezing temperatures for a cold drink and warm air.
While you can’t stop extreme weather events from occurring, you can prepare your home before leaving. We’ll look at easy steps to protect your home and prevent pipes from freezing and other issues.
Consider Turning Off Your Main Water Supply To Prevent Frozen Water Pipes
If you plan to leave on vacation for several weeks or more, you may want to turn off your main water supply. This will make you feel at ease. By turning off your main water supply, you can prevent leaks from happening.
Unattended leaks can create many problems, damaging your exterior walls, cabinet doors, floors, and other areas. This leaky water can also trigger frozen pipes, and freezing pipes can eventually burst.
Your home will thaw pipes naturally, but they can refreeze, turning into frozen pipes again. However, each time they refreeze, their structure can become weaker. A frozen pipe can only hold on for so long until it bursts.
Dealing with burst pipes proves hard enough when you're home. However, a burst pipe becomes especially disastrous when you're on vacation. You may come home to significant flooding and water damage.
Turning off your main water supply valve gives you a reliable method to use for preventing frozen pipes. You don't want to come home only to discover your pipes burst while away, requiring you to pay to fix them.
Insulate Pipes To Prevent a Burst Pipe
Especially during a deep freeze, water likes to cause frozen pipes. So alongside turning off your primary water source, you should protect your pipes. The proper pipe insulation can prevent frozen pipes.
Check if you have any pipes exposed and apply pipe insulation. Your local hardware store most likely carries pipe sleeves or insulation.
Turn Off Your Water Heater
A water heater will continue to heat your water if left on, leading to other issues. For example, your water heater can start leaking hot water.
Disconnect Garden Hoses
While easy to overlook, outdoor applications like sprinklers and garden hoses can also trigger issues.
Have Someone Check on Your Home
Even all the suitable safety measures can't entirely prevent issues like bursting water pipes. So have a friend or family member periodically check on your home. You may even hire a housesitter for extra peace of mind.
Never Try to Fix Frozen Pipes Yourself
If you return from vacation and notice freezing pipes, never try to fix the problem yourself. For example, some homeowners make the mistake of putting an open flame over a frozen pipe.
While DIY solutions exist, like using a heat lamp, hair dryer, or space heater, they're far from compelling. So instead, call our professional drain cleaning and septic tank pumping team.
Call Us Today for Your Frozen Pipe Repair
Roto-Rooter of St. Cloud, MN, provides many services, including hydro excavation, water pressure fixing, water cleanup, and more.
St. Cloud, MN, residents can call Roto-Rooter at (320) 207-1079!
