Winter Plumbing and Pipe Care
By Wendy Croix
Home Improvement Ideas Columnist
It's neither the plummeting temperatures nor the solid ice you need to fear when protecting your plumbing from winter's worst. A pipe only bursts as the weather warms. As New Haven, Connecticut plumber Chris Buynek points out, "When pipes freeze, it's just a matter of time before they break, but you don't see the water damage until the thaw." If you want to protect your bathroom plumbing from pipe problems, follow these tips from the plumbers who know ice and snow.
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Low Temperature Bathroom and Plumbing Ideas
Ideally, you'll have checked your water supply lines long before the first frost. In most places, plumbing is winter safe if your pipe is buried from four to six feet deep--the standard supply line depth in most northern cities. As housing markets tighten, more and more people live in homes intended for summer dwellers only. Whether it's a Tahoe cabin or a Washington cottage, you'll need extra care if your bathroom renovations haven't protected the intake pipes running through your home's crawlspaces.
Hot Winter Bathroom Tips
Here are some ideas from plumbers to keep your water running and your bathroom online.
- Have a plumber run a winter pipe check. Head off potential problems before they happen.
- Make sure all outdoor faucets have been turned off. Use a 4-inch thick layer of foam board above and along pipes. Don't depend on heat tape to protect outdoor water lines.
- Insulate exposed plumbing. A pipe that's exposed needs protection. Plumbers suggest a pipe-within-a-pipe system in which an outer pipe acts as a sleeve for your water bearing pipe.
- When temperatures plummet, keep a trickle of water running. In your bathroom and your kitchen, let your faucets drip.
- If the water stops, call your plumber. Don't wait for the thaw.
And next year...
If you live in deep freeze territory, find products by companies like Canada's Urecon, which can protect your plumbing with pre-insulated pipe that can withstand extremely low temperatures. Originally created for municipal water lines in Quebec, the freeze-proof design consists of an inner pipe, an outer pipe, and a foam-filled, heated, insulated core in between.
Sources
- Urecon Pre-Insulated Pipe
- "Weather wreaks havoc on pipes, even at city hall," by Maria Garriga. New Haven Register (CT). (Jan 25, 2005).
- "Winterizing from pipes up," by Steve Maxwell. Toronto Star (Aug 9, 2003).
About the Author
Wendy Croix, Ph.D. is a freelance writer, cultural critic and university professor.
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