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How to Prepare Your Plumbing for the Winter Weather

In Montgomery, we’re fortunate in that we don’t experience too much frigid weather. That being said, we can certainly get cold spells. When the nighttime temperatures have a chance of dipping below the freezing mark, you’ll need to take steps to prepare your plumbing system.

Why Freezing Temperatures Matter

Whether you’re a fan of cold weather or not, the reality is that you have to be prepared for temperatures that could potentially be quite low. When the air temperature drops, the water in your pipes and fixtures could freeze. Not only does this block the flow of water, but it could also lead to burst or cracked pipes since water expands when it turns to ice. It can sometimes be hard to identify a leak until it’s too late since the pipes in your home are often hidden from view.

One scenario is that a leak could pop up somewhere behind a wall. You might not notice that anything’s wrong until the drywall or flooring beneath the leak starts to be compromised. In this case, you’ll have to take some things apart in order to find the cause of the issue.

Another possible scenario is much more dramatic. Instead of a small leak springing up because of a cracked pipe, a pipe could actually burst open because of the increased pressure that the ice has placed on it. If you’re traveling during the holidays and this happens, you could come home to a major issue. Even if you’re home, you’ll have a lot of cleaning up ahead of you.

Maintenance Tasks

To prevent issues from occurring, you can have your plumbing system professional inspected. At Alabama Home Pros, we’re available to come out to your place in Montgomery. We can check for areas of vulnerability, repair leaks, and insulate any pipes that need some extra protection. If we notice any issues with your fixtures, we can address them before they become major problems. A small crack or a rusted component might not be that noticeable, but we’d likely be able to identify it. In addition, we can take a look outside. We’ll be able to flush your hoses, drain water from any outdoor fixtures, and turn off the valves to these fixtures.

Helping Residents in Montgomery

Here in our area of Alabama, it’s easy to get lulled into a false sense of security since we don’t frequently deal with freezing temperatures. However, we do occasionally have temperatures in the twenties at night. It’s these nights in which your plumbing system is most at risk. Fortunately, there are steps you can take in an effort to prevent this from happening. Call us at Alabama Home Pros for assistance with maintenance tasks that can protect your plumbing from winter weather.