Water Damage It Can Happen To You
You hear about water damage all the time: water floods homes and buildings during storms; water breaks through old plumbing systems; water damages property in many other ways. The list goes on and on, but water damage incidents are almost always avoidable if you take precautions before they occur—and repair them quickly when they do happen to you!
Precautions
There are several steps you can take to protect water pipes from freezing – and many more that you should implement if it comes down to water damage due to frozen water pipes. Below we’ve listed out a few precautions as well as tips for handling water damaged property in the case of a pipe burst or other disaster related disaster scenarios.
Pro-Tip #1:
Pipe insulation is essential. Every water pipe in your home, including outdoor water spigots and water hose faucets, should be covered with water heater tape or foam pipe insulation to ward off freezing temperatures. If you cannot afford water heater tape or foam insulation, buy a large sheet of Styrofoam from the hardware store so that it covers all of the exposed pipes entirely. Avoid using duct tape to cover water pipes because this will not adequately insulate them against harsh winter weather conditions.
Pro-Tip #2:
Keep indoor temperatures high enough to prevent freezing . Ensure that heating systems are working properly throughout your property to keep heat circulating indoors—and never allow indoor temperatures to drop below freezing.
Pro-Tip #3:
Drain water pipes of water . Turn off water supply valves to water heater and outdoor water spigots, then open the faucets to drain all water out. If you get water on your hands while turning off water valves, wear rubber gloves so you don’t get frostbite.
Pro-Tip #4:
Wrap exposed pipes with electric heating tape or insulation . This is not 100% effective but it can buy additional time before freezing occurs after shut-off valves are opened.
Lastly, You should never delay any repairs that need to be done because of water, as this will only increase the cost of water damage restoration.
