This winter temperatures will dip down below freezing, even in beautiful sunny North Myrtle Beach (although only for a few weeks). Freezing temperatures might cause older pipes in your homes walls or crawl spaces that are not properly insulated to freeze, expand and then burst! Pipe freezing is a dangerous problem.
Pipes will freeze in your walls if there is not proper insulation! If there are signs of water damage, mold or even moisture buildup when you open a wall up that might be evidence that a pipe burst sometime in the past. This most likely came from improper insulation. The best thing to do if you find evidence of a burst pipe from freezing is to add more insulation before the temperatures drop below freezing! This will help keep the pipes from getting too cold.
Here are a few tips to prevent frozen pipes this winter:
- Use insulation on the sides of your water tank to prevent freezing. This is the main source of water concentration in your home, if this freezes you are in going to be in a world of trouble.
- Upgrade your pipes and water tanks if needed due to age or inability to function properly and efficiently. Older tanks and pipes may have rust and corrosion which will weaken any sensitive pressure points and may lead to pipes bursting under the pressure while freezing temperatures are present.
- Repair or replace any leaking and or dripping pipes before the freezing cold weather comes. If you know of problems with your pipes or can plainly see where issues with pipes may arise it is in your best interest to fix the problem when the weather is still warmer so that when the temperatures drop those problems do not escalate.
Be Proactive When It Comes To Insulation & Protect Against Pipe Freezing!
When pipe freezing occurs, the water expands, which can cause the pipes to burst and then the thawed water starts a leak. A burst water pipe can cause serious damage to your home and property. Especially if you are using the property as a rental and it stays unoccupied for any length of time during the off season. Water damage from broken or burst pipes left untreated can become mold problems in as little as 48 hours!
If you know what to do when a frozen pipe does burst you can be two steps ahead of a bad situation. To help you out should you ever have the misfortune to experience cold weather related water damage here are a few helpful tips:
- Turn off the water at the main shut off valve as soon as you notice the damage. This may seem obvious but in a panicked state of mind seeing a bunch of water flooding your property sometimes you feel overwhelmed and do not know where to start.
- Turning on all your hot and cold taps, this will help purge the system of residual water. You do not want leftover water just sitting in your pipes while you are fixing the problem pipes.
- Thaw any exposed pipes with a hairdryer or heat gun if possible. This will melt the built up ice and help you avoid more pipe ruptures while you are mitigating the current pipe freezing damage.
If the pipe burst damage has gone unnoticed for some time due to an absence in the unit, there could be significant issues with mold and other safety concerns. Call a professional restoration company in your service area immediately to dry you out fast!
There are many other ways that you can make your home safe during the cold weather. We, however, wanted to share these few with you. If you still haven’t found your dream home, then give us at North Beach Realty a call.
