We don’t have long periods of freezing weather in Eastern North Carolina, but when it comes to the water in your pipes, sometimes one below freezing night is enough to do some real damage to your pipes.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help prevent this from happening:
Seal cracks and holes properly — Make sure there are no gaps around windows, doors and other openings where cold air can enter.
Let it drip — Water in motion freezes at a much slower rate than water that’s standing still in pipes.
Insulate your pipes — This is especially important in unheated areas like basements, attics and crawl spaces. Pipe insulation kits are available at hardware stores.
Disconnect your outside hoses — It’s not a bad idea to let these drip as well.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the pipes freeze anyway. Here are a few things to remember:
Avoid open flame — At the risk of stating the obvious, this can damage your pipes or cause a fire.
Use heat, but gradually — Try a hairdryer or a space heater to slowly warm the affected pipes.
Assess the damage — Once the pipe is thawed, be sure to check for any areas that might leak or are otherwise impacted.
Need some help or a little more advice? Call us at 919-588-8015 or visit comfortshieldofnc.com.
