If you live somewhere that has the potential for a freezing winter, you may be familiar with the idea of frozen pipes. Frozen pipes are frustrating on their own but can be much more complicated to handle if they are allowed to burst. When water freezes in your pipes, it expands. The expansion makes the ice press against the side of your pipes, along with nearby faucets, valves and seams. The expansion can put stress on your pipes and cause them to rupture.
Once the pipes are frozen, there are only a few things you can do. Not taking action can lead to the near for burst pipe repair in Fayetteville and an expensive repair bill.
Thawing Out Your Pipes
The first thing you should do if you have frozen pipes is turn off the water in the pipes using the stop valve. This will give some relief to the frozen pipe as far as pressure goes and may help avoid actual bursting. There are a few other things you can do to unfreeze your pipes if you act quickly.
- Exposing the pipe – If you have areas of pipes that are frozen but boxed in, exposing them to the heat inside can offer some relief.
- Heat gun – This is an option but it requires great caution and can cause major problems if done incorrectly. You should also be sure to only use a heat gun in an area without flammable materials to avoid a fire.
- Hairdryer – Take your trusty bathroom hairdryer and use it on the lowest setting to blow air onto the frozen pipe.
- Heat tape – You can apply heat tape to thaw your pipes, but this also requires caution. If you wrap the tape over itself, this can cause a fire.
- Warm rags – Take some damp, warm rags and hold them over the pipe to help warm it.
Fixing Burst Pipes
If the pipes have burst, you will need burst pipe repair in Fayetteville. While you are waiting for experts to visit your home, there are a few things you can do. First, turn off the water at your meter. Next, turn off the central heating in your home. Turn on the taps in your home to help drain the system so no water remains in the pipes.
When you need help with burst pipes, and fast, Hammond Services is here to help. You can reach us at our website at website to make an appointment with a professional member of our staff.
