Bad Pipe Dreams

12/10/2018 (Permalink)

An example of exposed pipes under a sink that may freeze if the internal temperature of the home is not controlled.

Bad Pipe Dreams

  The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety states that the most common cause of property damage during frigid weather is frozen pipes that burst.  In fact, the average cost of such an event is estimated at $5.000.00 or more.  Over time; global warming may decrease this threat, however that make take many decades or centuries. What can you do now to prevent those pipes from freezing?

  Obviously, the pipes that are most exposed and located in unheated areas are more at risk than those located in a temperature controlled environment.  But even pipes running through cabinets and exterior walls are at risk.

  Once the temperature begins to drop, there are efforts you can apply to hopefully minimize this risk.  The temperature “Alert Level” is at 20 degrees Fahrenheit.  When the outdoor temperature reaches this level you will want to take the following steps:

• Keep your garage doors closed. Especially is water supply lines are located there.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the pipes.
• Let the cold water drip from your faucets served from exposed pipes. Even a trickle will do the trick.
• Keep your thermostat set at the same temperature during both day and night. (Here is where you have to ask yourself: Is a slight increase in my electric bill worth possibly saving you up to or more than $5,000.00? – probably so.)
• If you plan to be away during cold weather – leave your heat on – set the temperature no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
• For a more long term solution – add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Applying pipe insulation is also a good preventive measure and since it is about 50 cents per linear foot – it is cheap as well.

If by chance you incur water damage from frozen broken pipes or another cause; the first thing you should do is call SERVPRO of Sussex County at 302-856-9768 and we can offer remediation and get you and your home back to normal.