Although more well-known aspects of home maintenance might overshadow it, winterization is an important one to remember, even for the mild winters we have in Georiga. This can especially be missed by the first-time homeowner who may be used to a landlord handling it. A big part of winterization is making sure your pipes are prepped for the freezing weather.
According to Fixr, the cost to restore an area from water damage can range from $2,700 to $7,500 depending on the severity. This is the national average, but additional information can be entered to narrow down to specific properties in Alpharetta or Cumming.
We don’t get freezing weather often, but here are some tips to help you avoid a costly pipe rupture.
- Insulate Your Pipes – If you have accessible pipes that could be exposed to freezing temperature, you might go to your local Home Depot or Lowes to get insulation to wrap around them. This will help keep the heat in and the cold out.
- Let Your Facets Drip – When you expect freezing weather, especially overnight when temperatures plunge, and water usage is low, you should turn your facets on so there’s a slow drip. This will let the water run slowly through your pipes and should keep it from freezing.
- Open Cabinets & Keep it Cozy – Maintaining a warm interior temperature and opening cabinet doors will allow warm air to circulate where the pipes are. This might not be as effective as letting your faucets drip or insulating your pipes, especially where pipes are close to exterior walls, but every little bit helps!
- Turn Off Water When Heater is Off – If you’re going out of town or will otherwise leave your home in freezing temperatures without the heater on, shut off the main water supply to the house. Shutting off the main supply valve will keep water pressure from building in your pipes. After turning off the supply, you should also “bleed” the water from your pipes by letting it drain through a downstairs faucet.
If you are in the midst of an emergency and do have a frozen pipe, don’t panic, applying a warm towel or blowing a hairdryer on the affected area might help melt the ice. If the worst has happened and you have a busted pipe, you should strongly consider whether you are capable of fixing it yourself or if you want to hire a pro. Especially in plumbing, if you don’t do something correctly the first time, you may compound the issue, making it more costly when you do bring in a plumber. If you have decided to bring in a pro, I use HomeAdvisor to find licensed contractors with good reviews near me in Cumming.
