How to Winterize Your Plumbing and Prevent Burst Pipes

Don’t Wait for the Snow: Why Winterizing Your Plumbing is Crucial

Now that fall is in the air, it’s the perfect time to think ahead and get your home and cottage plumbing ready for the freezing temperatures to come. Most of us remember to shut things down at the cottage, but your everyday home needs some prep, too. A little work now can save you from the headache and expense of burst pipes in the dead of winter.

A Quick Science Lesson, Eh?

Here’s the thing about water: when it freezes, it expands. If that water is trapped inside a sealed plumbing pipe, that expansion has nowhere to go. The pressure builds up and can cause the pipe to burst. This is a huge risk for unheated buildings like cottages or sheds, but it can happen in your heated home, too.

That Outdoor Hose Bib is the Real Culprit

The most common trouble spot for homeowners is the exterior tap you use for your garden hose. If it’s not shut off properly from the inside, the water left in the pipe is exposed to the cold and can freeze solid. This freeze can travel back through the pipe, causing a burst inside your walls where you can’t see it until it’s too late.

Just draining the hose and turning the handle on the outside tap isn’t enough, sorry! You’ve got to cut off the source.

How to Properly Shut Off Your Exterior Tap

1. Find the Indoor Shut-Off Valve: Look for a valve on the pipe that leads to your outdoor faucet. It’s usually located on the inside of your house, often in the basement, right near where the tap is on the outside. You’re probably looking for a knob or a lever handle, which is often coloured red.
2. Turn it Off: Turn the handle clockwise until it’s snug. This stops water from flowing to the outside tap, ensuring the part of the pipe exposed to the cold is empty.
3. Drain the Tap: Head back outside and open the tap. Any leftover water will drain out. Leave it open for the winter to be safe.

What to Do If a Pipe Bursts Anyway

If you find yourself with a burst pipe, don’t panic.

First, shut off the main water source to your house immediately. This will stop more water from flooding the area.

Then, give us a call. Drain Experts Plumbing specializes in emergency drain and plumbing repair. We’ll get out there quickly to fix the damage and get your water running safely again. If you’re ever in need, you know who to call!