How to Prevent the 4 Most Common Winter Plumbing Problems
The most wonderful time of the year doesn’t come without its fair share of problems for homeowners. In Michigan where Lenox Plumbing is located, things are starting to cool down, and we know a lot of other folks are starting to prepare for freezing temperatures, too.
If you’ve lived somewhere that experiences seasons for a while, you know that cold weather can put a lot of stress on buildings, especially on our home plumbing systems. If you’re new to the cold, we’re glad you’re here!
In this post, we’re going to arm you with the top four most common winter plumbing problems, as well as ways you can combat and even get ahead of these costly and uncomfortable issues before they occur.
#1: Frozen Pipes Lead to Burst Pipes
First, we have one of the most common and disruptive winter plumbing problems:
frozen pipes. The pipes, drains and water access outside of your home are of course vulnerable to the elements. However, the pipes inside of your home, especially ones that are located in exterior facing walls, basements and crawl spaces can freeze just as easily.
When temperatures drop below freezing (32 degrees fahrenheit or 0 degrees celsius), the water inside of your pipes can freeze, causing the water’s volume to expand by 9%. This 9% growth creates substantially more pressure in the pipes and displaces the rest of the water. If these conditions go on for too long, the pipe will eventually burst.
Burst pipes lead to water gushing out all over your living spaces, leading to serious and costly damage. If you ever find yourself in this emergency situation, shut off your home’s water supply and contact a plumber immediately.
Try these different techniques to prevent freezing and prepare your home’s pipes and water lines for the winter:
- “Winterize” outdoor water access. In the fall before temperatures drop too low, disconnect all outdoor hoses and store them inside for the winter. Turn off the valve that controls your outside water access for the season.
- Purchase frost-free hose bibs. You can upgrade your hose bibs and water spigots with frost-free hose bibs or sillcocks that will prevent freezing and protect your outdoor water access from the extreme temperatures.
- Insulate your pipes. If you live in an older home or a space that seems to be subject to freezing pipes year after year, consider bringing in a professional to insulate your pipes to further protect them from freezing.
Tip: if you need to unfreeze your pipes in a pinch, two safe, DIY methods include pouring boiling water down the affected water line or locating the source of the freeze and applying heat to the area using a hairdryer, space heater (use caution and never leave the heater unattended), etc. until it thaws and water is flowing again. If neither of these methods work, contact a plumber for further help.
#2: Low-Functioning Water Heaters
With family visiting and the kids back home from college, water heaters work overtime during the winter months to accommodate extra loads of laundry and dirty dishes. A lot of folks tend to spend a longer time taking a hot shower or bath to try and escape the cold outside, too.
All of this extra use and high hot water demand can put stress on our water heaters, making it hard for them to keep up with demand. This in turn may cause your water to take longer to heat up, or it may cause system malfunctions and even total breakdowns.
One of the best ways to avoid surprise water heater problems and ensure that your system is ready to serve you and your family during the cold months ahead is by performing and/or scheduling regular water heater maintenance.
There are some water heater maintenance tasks that homeowners can tackle on their own like regularly draining the unit or re-lighting it if needed. If you’re unsure of how to conduct this maintenance or you don’t feel comfortable doing it on your own, you should always contact a professional plumber for help.
Other than overuse, it’s important to consider other factors that may be affecting your water heater’s functionality. A dysfunctional heating element, a faulty or off thermostat, a blown fuse or tripped breaker, or even an issue with the electrical or gas supply that powers the unit could be at fault. In each of these cases, we once again recommend roping in a professional plumber to determine the source of the problem as well as an appropriate solution.
If water heater usage is determined to be the cause of your system not acting like it should, one common solution is to have a professional insulate the various components of the unit. You can also purchase a water heater blanket at your local hardware store to save energy and prevent heat losses.
#3: Clogged Kitchen Drains and Stinky Garbage Disposals
Similar to water heaters, our kitchens also tend to get overwhelmed during the winter. Between cooking greasy holiday meals and feeding extra mouths, kitchen sinks and garbage disposals see a lot more action than usual. The more food that goes down the sink, the more likely kitchen drains are to clog.
Two of the most important things you can do to prevent your garbage disposal and kitchen drain from clogging or backing up are:
- Be mindful of what food waste you’re putting down the drain. Material like grease, oil, fat, bones and eggshells, all commonly found in traditional holiday meals, should always be thrown in the trash and never go down the garbage disposal. Avoid putting any sort of peels, seeds or pits, and also coffee grounds, down the drain, too.
- Use the appropriate amount of water. One of the most common reasons for clogged kitchen drains and broken garbage disposals is not enough water being used to wash food waste down the drain or while garbage disposal is running. It may sound obvious, but you need a lot of water to wash food down the drain! Always make sure you’re running cold water while using the garbage disposal, too.
If you’ve taken these preventative measures and you still find your kitchen drain or garbage disposal getting clogged during the wintertime, follow our step-by-step guide on how to easily unclog your garbage disposal on your own. If your drains aren’t clogged but they are stinky, check out this blog post on how to keep your kitchen plumbing smelling as clean as the day it was installed.
#4: Basement Flooding
Flooding doesn’t just happen during the spring and summertime after a big rainstorm. In fact, in the state of Michigan, floods and flood-related problems can occur just as often in the winter as they do during the warmer months. This is because as temperatures fluctuate throughout the winter, especially after a big storm, snow and ice rapidly melt. Drainage and foundation issues that commonly pop up during colder temperatures are likely culprits of flooding.
There are a handful of ways you can prepare your home to be better prepared for winter precipitation and protected against flooding:
- Regularly inspect your foundation and basement walls for cracks. It’s best to track down and fix weak spots before they become a problem.
- Raking and cleaning up yard waste is no fun, but it’s necessary! Water needs a path to freely drain away from your home. Keep your gutters clean and your yard clear of leaves and debris that can block and clog drainage systems when the winter comes.
- Clear snow buildup off your roof to prevent extra stress on your gutters (and not to mention your roof itself).
Otherwise, one of the most important things when it comes to protecting your home from flooding and water damage is a properly functioning sump pump. Like most of the other home appliances we’ve discussed, sump pumps are usually overworked during the winter due to high levels of precipitation. These systems are also susceptible to freezing and clogs.
Keep your sump pump prepared to defend your home from floods by performing regular maintenance and testing the system to ensure it’s working. If you live in an area that experiences high snow and ice levels or regularly fluctuating winter temperatures, you may want to consider installing a backup sump pump in case your first sump pump becomes overwhelmed or fails.
Stay Warm and Dry This Winter
By keeping a close eye on these common winter plumbing problems and taking preventative steps to protect your home, you should be well-prepared to brave the months ahead.
As always, if you find yourself in a plumbing emergency, you want to schedule plumbing system maintenance ahead of the cold (we highly recommend it) or you’re just looking for a professional opinion, give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website. We’re here to help solve your winter woes as soon as possible.
