When the winter weather settles in, the freezing temperatures can devastate your plumbing equipment, particularly when it comes to frozen pipes.

Frozen pipes aren’t just a nuisance — they can place your home at risk for pipe bursting as excess pressure builds up within your system, resulting in extreme water and property damage.

The experts at R Buck Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical discuss the steps that homeowners should take if their pipes freeze, and some important preventative measures they can take to avoid this problem.

Call R Buck at 719-544-6670 to get same-day pipe repair in Colorado Springs, MO.

How To Prevent Frozen Pipes

It’s important to first understand what you can do to prevent the problem from happening. There are several steps homeowners can take to protect the integrity of their pipes during winter:

• Seal cracks: If there are cracks in your exterior walls — especially around service lines for TV and internet access — seal them before winter.
• Add insulation: Inspect the insulation in your attic and crawl spaces to ensure it’s adequately protected against unwanted thermal transfer.
• Open cabinets: Keeping the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks open helps warm air circulate around your pipes so they don’t freeze when the temperature drops overnight.
• Insulate pipes: Besides insulating your attic and crawl spaces, consider adding insulation to the pipes themselves for an extra layer of protection.
• Home heating: If you’re planning on going out of town for the holidays, remember to keep your home properly heated, leaving your thermostat set to at least 55º F.
• Open taps: On nights when you know the temperatures will plummet below freezing, leave your faucets dripping to prevent pressure buildup within your system.

What To Do if Your Pipes Freeze

Sometimes, pipes will freeze even when preventative measures have been taken. In this case, follow these steps to minimize any damage to your property and plumbing system:

• Locate your main water supply valve and shut your water off at the source. If you can’t find it, contact your utility company’s emergency hotline for immediate assistance.
• Attempt to locate the frozen pipe by inspecting any areas where you may have exposed plumbing, such as the basement, crawl space, attic, exterior wall, or under a sink.
• Once you’ve found the affected pipe, relieve pressure buildup within your system by opening the faucet connected to the pipe.
• After finding the frozen pipe, inspect the area to see if you can spot any leaks indicating the pipe has cracked or burst. If you find one, contact a trusted plumbing professional for immediate assistance.
• As you wait for your plumber to arrive, attempt to thaw the pipe by using either a hair dryer or a space heater. Never use an open flame to attempt to thaw your pipe.

Schedule Frozen Pipe Services With R Buck

At R Buck Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, we understand the urgency behind your frozen pipe concerns. That’s why our team delivers 24/7 emergency frozen pipe repairs that Colorado families can trust to keep their homes protected during the winter.

With 100% satisfaction guaranteed and 30 years of service experience, you can rest assured that your frozen pipe service needs are in the best hands.

Get frozen pipe repair in Pueblo or Colorado Springs by calling R Buck at 719-544-6670 today.