While temperatures don’t usually get low enough in the Tucson area to cause pipes to freeze, it’s normal for temperatures to drop below freezing on at least a few winter nights. Don’t let it take you by surprise, as it could potentially cause significant damage before the problem is noticed. Besides, all it takes is one freeze to mess up your home plumbing.
Thankfully, frozen pipes are avoidable. Here are some easy steps to take that can help prevent frozen pipes if temperatures drop low enough while also helping reduce thermal energy loss in your home’s plumbing.
Consider Insulating Exposed Pipes
Insulation is used for more than improving your home’s air heat retention. There are two practical purposes for insulating your home’s pipes. First, you prevent thermal energy loss when insulating hot water pipes, keeping the water hotter as it arrives at the fixture and reducing how hot you need to set the water heater. Second, insulating all exposed pipes helps prevent the water inside from getting cold enough to freeze. Insulating pipes is straightforward, using pipe insulation specifically designed to fit around pipes, which almost looks like pool noodles with a slit precut the length of the insulation. You can easily cut these insulation tubes down to size with a simple sharp knife, an unused bread knife, or a box cutter.
Use Heat Tape on Outdoor Pipes
If you live in a home that sits on a pier and beam foundation, you likely have at least some exposed pipe under your home as it comes out of the utility crock before it enters the insulated belly bag. In the rare event of freezing weather, these pipes are the most susceptible to freezing. Heat tape includes a single wire that conducts a small amount of electricity, acting as an electric resistance heater. This wire wraps around the pipe and is covered in insulation and sealing tape. If you use a heat tape, check it every year to ensure it’s still working. The average lifespan for these wires is about three to five years.
Keep Your Heat On
One of the most effective ways to keep your pipes from freezing is to keep your home’s heat on, even if you’re on vacation. Any pipe that runs inside your home will benefit from your home’s temperature remaining above freezing. According to industry professionals, you should keep your home’s temperature at least 50 degrees to prevent frozen pipes. If you go on vacation, set your thermostat around 55 degrees to keep your pipes safe.
Open Cabinet Doors
Depending on how well your walls are insulated, pipes that run along or through exterior walls may be more susceptible to freezing, especially with high winds. This is compounded by cabinets that act as an insulator, keeping the warmth of the house inside but restricting how well the heat reaches the pipes. If temperatures drop before freezing or there is significant wind chill, open the cabinets on exterior walls. This will allow the heat to reach your pipes and could be the factor that keeps your pipes thawed.
Winterize External Pipes
If you’ve ever winterized an RV, you may already be familiar with this concept, but you won’t have to run antifreeze through the pipes. Rather, start by disconnecting hoses and nozzles to prevent them from freezing and getting damaged. Next, shut the water off to exterior faucets, preferably at an interior shutoff valve, and drain the pipe between that valve and the faucet. This can help prevent freezing in the sections of the pipe between the faucet and the shutoff valve. Finally, consider covering the faucet with an insulated cover to prevent damage to the faucet itself.
Seal Air Leaks
Air leaks in your home allow cold air to enter not only wreaking havoc on your heating efficiency but also potentially on your pipes. If the air leak is near an uninsulated pipe, it can cause that small section to freeze and damage the pipe. These leaks can be notoriously difficult to find, so hiring a professional to conduct a thermal audit can help you quickly find and resolve them.
Shut Off Water During Vacations
It can be a little cumbersome, but you may want to consider shutting off your home’s water if you go on an extended vacation or in a vacation home. Use the primary shutoff for your home, open the faucets, and allow the pipes to drain. This removes water in the pipes that can freeze and expand, which causes burst pipes. Keep in mind that you’ll need to reverse the process when you get home. If your home has a fire protection sprinkler system, this may deactivate that system until you prime the system again.
Let Faucets Drip
Another common recommendation is to allow your faucets to drip. Being the temperatures around Tucson never get into the frigid range, this keeps water moving, even slightly, and can prevent a freeze from forming. You only need to drip faucets on exterior walls, using only the cold water. You can use warm water, but this will increase your hot water expenses and is usually unnecessary to prevent frozen pipes. Keep in mind that in frigid temperatures, this practice can cause a more significant freeze than standing water in your pipes, so this may not be recommended for vacation homes in the mountains.
How to Handle Frozen Pipes
In the event your pipes freeze, proper handling is critical. Approaching it incorrectly can cause additional damage to your plumbing and more significant issues with burst pipes.
Ways to Thaw a Pipe
Before thawing a pipe, check for any signs that a pipe has burst. This may include ice on the pipe’s exterior, especially if the pipe has dripping ice. Also, look for water on the floor or water damage in the area of the frozen pipe. If there isn’t evidence of a burst pipe, you need to find a way to thaw it.
Avoid using a flame of any kind to thaw the pipe, which can damage the pipe or start a fire. Also, do not use a kerosene or propane heater inside your home: Both are notorious for producing carbon monoxide. Rather, using extreme caution, you could use a hair dryer for small freezes. Another option is to use an electric space heater to raise the temperature. If you use this, be sure the heater, cable, and electrical outlet are out of the way of any water as it thaws to prevent damage or injury.
Dealing With Burst Pipes
If you find evidence of a burst pipe, do not start thawing the pipe. Rather, start by shutting off the water at the nearest shutoff valve that’s not frozen. Once this is shut off, find a way to capture water. Use one of the options above to thaw the pipe, and call for a local plumber to come and repair the damaged pipe. Keep in mind that a plumber cannot repair a frozen pipe. Defrosting the pipe in advance can help reduce the time needed for the repair.
Property owners around Tucson have trusted Cal’s Plumbing to keep their pipes flowing since 1948. Our expert plumbers provide a full range of home services for your pipes including plumbing installation, inspection and repair. We also do backflow prevention, water leak detection, repiping, gas line service, slab repair, bathroom plumbing installation and repair, drain inspection, and more.
Call to schedule a repair visit with one of our trusted plumbers if you suspect your pipes may have burst or leaked due to a frozen pipe. Whether you need full repiping service or a quick fix, we’ll get you back on track.
