With freezing temperatures, come frozen pipes. The best way to deal with frozen pipes is to prevent them in the first place. A frozen water pipe will have frost on it or show a bulge. Not all plumbing pipes are visible but a sign of frozen pipes will be no water coming out of your faucets and your toilet won’t refill when flushed. If you do have any frozen water lines you will want to turn off the water supply. Use a space heater, heat lamp or hair dryer on any visible frozen pipe to get it thawed. NEVER use a propane torch to thaw pipes, this is a fire risk. Wrapping heat tape on freezing pipes can be an effective way to thaw pipes also. Once you get the pipes thawed, you need to check for any leaking pipes. When pipes freeze, they expand and can crack or break. Once thawed you could be left with a massive water leak or flooding.
The best way to not have to deal with frozen water pipes is preventive measures you take prior to cold weather. If pipes are accessible, you should insulate them with foam insulation that you can cut to fit the length of the pipe. You can also wrap them with heat tape if you have an electric source or cover them with old-fashioned insulation. Another good tip is to run your furnace 3-4 degrees higher the usual when temperatures drop considerably low and leave cabinet doors open under all sinks in the home. If your pipes freeze or burst, you know who to call: 785-341-4193. De Hart Plumbing Heating and Cooling serving Manhattan Kansas, Junction City Kansas, Wamego Kansas and some surrounding areas. 