Weekends, especially in the winter are all about one thing, enjoying that whiskey and other drinks that are cold weather friendly. But if something like a pipe burst happens and all the sudden your basement is completely flooded to due a heater failure, then you have a problem.
How To Prevent Pipes From Bursting
Every winter in the regions where temperatures drop below freezing, this can be a problem. If you leave town for a weekend and your heat is not turned on high enough or there is a malfunction – it is game over.
“A flooded basement is nothing to laugh at – it is truly a mess, can cause mold and is expensive to clean up.” says Twin Cities Plumber Co, a 24 Hour Plumber in Minneapolis. And they are correct.
You can leave a faucet dripping or just barely running to prevent freezing in the event of low temperatures, because moving water freezes at a lower temperature than still water. This is why lakes are frozen while rivers continue to run all winter. By keeping the faucet on, you keep the water moving.
Why This Happens
One of the top reasons this happens is because people have become cheapskates. They turn down or turn off their heater to unheard of levels, especially when going out of town for a period of time. This can spell disaster in the event of a leak or failure.
The best solution to this is ensuring all your pipes are insulated. Throughout the entire home, this can be expensive but it is essentially an extension of insurance because you will know your pipes are protected. This could prevent damages that measure up to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars.
If you plan to leave for any duration, the next thing to do would be to turn off the water in your home. This can reduce the fear and anxiety that comes with leaving your home and is particularly savvy to do during the winter if you want to escape the cold but come home to your house and not seeing a flooded basement due to a frozen or burst pipe.