Prevent a Burst Pipe in Your Home

The most common cause of a burst pipe is freezing, and a frozen pipe can cause a lot of damage in your St. Michael home. To prevent a burst pipe in your home, there are some precautions you need to take.

Proper Insulation

Your pipes can't freeze and burst if you keep them warm. In the wintertime, ensure that your pipes are well insulated.

The pipes most vulnerable to freezing are those that are closest to the outside. This usually involves pipes in basements, crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls.

You should ensure the areas that contain these pipes are adequately insulated. If that is not possible, you can insulate the pipes themselves by wrapping them in towels or foam.

You can also attempt to boost the heat in the area by running a space heater, but if you do so, ensure there are no fire hazards.

Running Water

The reason your pipes burst when they freeze is not because of the freeze itself. Instead, the burst is caused by the pressure that builds up by water that is blocked by ice.

To alleviate the pressure in the pipes and reduce the risk that they will burst, you can allow a faucet in your St. Michael home to drip or have a light stream of water. The ability of the water to move even slightly can be the difference between a frozen pipe that bursts and one that doesn't.

Protect Your Outdoor Pipes and Spigots

Protecting the pipes most exposed to the elements can ensure you don't wind up with a frozen and burst pipes. The pipes most at risk are often those that are exposed to the outside.

This includes pipes that are connected to spigots outside and those that are part of a sprinkler system. Among the prevention methods to prevent these pipes are freezing are to thoroughly drain your sprinkler system and turn the water off, turn off the water to your spigots if you can, disconnect garden hoses and cover up your spigot connections.

If you do experienced a burst pipe, you need to shut the water off as soon as you can. Then you should have a plumber inspect the damage and make any needed repairs.

Avoid a costly pipe burst with these key tips! Call B & D Plumbing, Heating & A/C at (763) 497-2290 for repairs in your St. Michael, MN home.