Tag: Frozen Pipe Thawing

With the Toronto weather getting colder by the day, every homeowner should be preparing to protect their plumbing as the temperatures dip below freezing. We provided you with a few frozen pipe signs to watch out for in a previous post, so be sure to catch up on that information if you haven’t yet read it. In today’s post, we’ll provide you with four easy and effective ways to prevent frozen pipes in your home this winter.

The Great Plumbing Co. provides reliable frozen pipe thawing and a variety of residential plumbing services in Toronto — schedule your appointment online today!

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Insulate

Poor insulation is one of the primary causes of frozen pipes. Many homes in the Toronto area were built decades ago and consequently have less-than-ideal insulation, so take some time to evaluate your home as the temperatures continue to drop. If you know that your home is vulnerable during cold snaps, then you should purchase some foam blocks from one of your local home improvement stores. You can place the foam in your home’s crawl space and inside your kitchen cabinets to keep your pipes working efficiently. Invest in a temporary patch kit if you want to be extra cautious, as you can use them to temporarily seal a cracked or fully burst pipe while you wait for a plumber to arrive.

Consider Heating Cables

Heating cables are a fantastic way to further protect your home during the winter. As you can infer from their name, heating cables are designed to be either wrapped around or placed near your pipes to prevent them from freezing. Some heat cables will need to be cut and hooked up to a power source, while others will be ready to be plugged in from the moment you purchase them. While heating cables are a great preventative measure, they are not a recommended substitute for residential plumbing and professional frozen pipe thawing. Always call your local plumber if you suspect that your pipes have frozen.

Turn Off the Water 

Turning off the main water valve in your home is another effective way to prevent frozen pipes. If you know that temperatures will be dropping drastically throughout the night, or if you will be gone for a span of several days, then turning off your water is probably a good idea. If your pipes do freeze and subsequently crack, your cleanup will be limited to the water currently in the pipes instead of a free-flowing stream.

Use a Space Heater

Space heaters can be an effective addition to any of the tips we’ve listed so far. You can open your kitchen cabinets and place a space heater near the entrance, or place one near your crawl space. Keep in mind that space heaters have the potential to cause a fire if they are placed too close to flammable materials, so use them only in open spaces and be sure to monitor them whenever they’re in use. The goal is simply to keep your pipes above freezing, so you may not need a space heater if you have already insulated your pipes or outfitted them with heating cables.

Do you need frozen pipe thawing in Toronto or any of the surrounding areas? Schedule an appointment with The Great Plumbing Co. today — our residential plumbing services can help you keep your home safe this winter.

As a homeowner, you’ve probably heard horror stories about frozen pipes. Maybe you’ve known someone who dealt with extensive water damage after a burst pipe, or perhaps you’ve even seen the damage first-hand. Many people are unaware of exactly how devastating a frozen pipe can be, so in today’s post, we’ll walk you through exactly what happens when a pipe freezes. We noted four signs of a frozen pipe in a previous post, so make sure that you review that article to stay informed.

If you need frozen pipe thawing in Toronto, then schedule an appointment with The Great Plumbing Co. Read on to learn more about frozen pipes!

Flooding and Water Damage

Flooding and subsequent water damage are two of the most destructive events that can befall a home. Water expands when it freezes, and your pipes are only designed to handle liquid water. Frozen water will cause the pipe to expand and potentially break, which then leads to free-flowing water wherever the break occurred. No matter where a burst pipe occurs, the damage can be devastating. Pipes that have burst inside of a wall, for instance, may require that the wall be replaced due to extensive water damage. A burst pipe under the kitchen sink, on the other hand, can easily allow water to make its way into the adjacent rooms.

Mold 

As if water damage weren’t problematic enough, a flooded home can quickly develop a mold infestation. Consider the following scenario: a pipe bursts on the main level of a home and is stopped before serious water damage occurs in the area. However, water seeps into the basement walls and ceiling, creating the ideal conditions for mold and mildew. Homeowners may not notice mold growth if the basement is only used for storage or as a guest space, which allows the problem to worsen over time. Mold remediation can be just as inconvenient as repairing water damage, so be sure that you call a professional plumber for frozen pipe repair if you notice any odd problems with your plumbing this winter.

Displacement

In some cases, the damage to your home may be so severe that you have to relocate to a hotel or friend’s house while your home is repaired. The expenses may be covered depending on your insurance company, but even when they are, relocating is a major hassle. You need access to your clothing, food, and everything else you use throughout the day. The stress of relocation is only compounded if you have young children or pets, as they will be understandably confused and upset by the situation.

Don’t Perform Frozen Pipe Thawing Yourself

Many DIY guides will tell you that you can save money and time by thawing your pipes yourself, but doing so could be spell disaster for your home. A professional plumber will be able to diagnose the extent of the damage and provide you with an individualized plan that minimizes the damage to your home. Don’t take the risk of damaging your home — schedule frozen pipe repair in Toronto with The Great Plumbing Co. today.

With the weather in Toronto and the surrounding areas becoming colder by the day, preventing the pipes in your home from freezing is likely one of your top concerns. In today’s post, we’ll provide you with four of the most common frozen pipe indicators. If you suspect that your pipes are at risk of freezing, then schedule a plumbing appointment with The Great Plumbing Co. using our easy online scheduling application. We perform frozen pipe thawing that can minimize the damage to your home, so schedule your appointment today!

Visible Ice or Frost

It might sound obvious, but check the visible pipes in your home for signs of frost and ice as the weather begins to dip below freezing. Many homeowners believe that frost or small ice crystals are expected as the weather cools down, but this is actually a sign that your pipes are in the process of freezing. Check under your kitchen cabinets, under your bathroom sink, and anywhere else that you can see the pipes in your home, and call a professional plumber as soon as you notice any signs of icy pipes in your home.

Strange Noises

Are you hearing odd noises whenever you flush the toilet or turn on the faucet? Air that has been trapped by ice will often make a bubbling or gurgling noise as it slowly makes its way through the pipes. This is generally a sign that a pipe has frozen, but not yet burst, so schedule frozen pipe thawing immediately if you hear either of these noises. In some cases, the water making its way through the blockage will emit a whistling noise, so be on the lookout for that as well.

Damp Walls

Many homeowners panic and assume that a pipe has burst when they discover damp walls, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Your pipes might be freezing during the night and then warming up as the temperature increases throughout the day, causing your walls to become wet in the process. Be on the lookout for puddles on the floor as well, as condensation will often drip into the space between your walls and then into your home.

Frequent Plumbing Issues

Are you having persistent problems with your plumbing? Many older homes in Toronto have inefficient plumbing, but you should keep an eye on your plumbing’s functionality as the weather cools down. Water may take longer than normal to come out of the faucet, or your toilet may clog almost every time you flush it. Instead of chalking new issues up to outdated plumbing, schedule a residential plumbing appointment to err on the side of caution. Even if the problem turns out to be minor, you’ll be reassured that your home is safe throughout the winter.

Frozen Pipe Thawing in Toronto

The Great Plumbing Co. is proud to provide a number of residential plumbing services in Toronto and the surrounding areas. From frozen pipe thawing to drain repairs, we do it all! Book your appointment with a Toronto plumber online today.