During the winter months, insulating the pipes around your home and other properties is one proactive step you can take in preventing them from freezing and bursting, but it can be hard to know just when it’s appropriate and wise to do it. To be honest, there are many situations we’ve seen here at Restoration Now! Omaha where some relatively inexpensive insulation would have prevented a more costly water damage problem if only the homeowner had known where and when to apply it.
In this post, our water damage mitigation specialists at Restoration Now! Omaha will share our recommendations for insulating the pipes around your house so you can avoid expensive water damage this winter!
Unheated properties need insulation
Our water restoration team at Restoration Now! recommend that any water lines or mains above ground level in an unheated building be protected with insulation. This is a special situation as not many people find themselves dealing with unheated properties in the winter, but this most likely will apply to you if you’re in charge of a new building where all the utilities haven’t been installed yet, or you have a vacation home in a colder climate that you don’t use for months at a time.
Insulate exposed pipes
If any of your water-supplying pipes are exposed to the elements, this is definitely a situation that calls for insulation. Rather than simply wrapping them in insulation, though, make sure you also add a plastic layer that can act as a waterproofer. If you want some extra peace of mind and electricity is available near the pipe in question, you can install heat trace wiring that can help to keep the pipe warm as well.
Some extra steps for unoccupied properties
If you have a property that you know will be unoccupied for an extended period, it’s best to go through the following steps to prevent any possible damage to the house’s water supply system.
- Locate the curb valve (if one exists) and shut off water running to the property.
- Disconnect plumbing inside the house, and open the main valve while the water is off. This will allow the water in the pipes to run out and empty completely, so there will be no water in any of the plumbing left to freeze.
Contact Restoration Now! Omaha Today for Water Damage Mitigation at (402) 502-7277!
In making sure that your home or other property is prepped for winter, pay special attention to your pipes! They’re easy to forget about but can cause huge water damage problems if simple maintenance isn’t performed. It’s important to note, too, that damage can be hard to spot until after your frozen pipe thaws, when water comes shooting out every which way. So if you find yourself with a frozen pipe, make sure to inspect it for damage before things thaw out!
Restoration Now! is an Omaha company specializing in water damage mitigation services, so if you find yourself in the worst of situations with a frozen and burst pipe, our team of water damage restoration specialists can help! We offer 24/7 emergency service, so don’t hesitate to call us today at (402) 502-7277!