DELAWARE — As freezing temperatures move into the area, local plumbers say prevention is the best defense against burst pipes and costly water damage.
Service Today Plumbing recommends homeowners run a steady stream of water from faucets when temperatures fall below freezing, rather than using the drip method. The company says allowing water to drip can increase the risk of cracking drain pipes.
Sales Manager Mike Cobo and Service Manager Lindsey Steele also urge homeowners to have a plan in place before a problem occurs, including knowing where shutoff valves and breaker boxes are located and ensuring they are easily accessible.
“Having a plan in place is going to prevent any confusion in the event that you should have active water in your home,” Steele said.
Plumbers also advise keeping heat flowing to lesser-used areas of the home, such as garages, laundry rooms and crawl spaces. Cobo recommends using supplemental heat, including space heaters, in areas where pipes are more vulnerable.
“If you do have a laundry room in the garage, put a space heater in there,” Cobo said. “Same thing with crawl spaces, which tend to freeze if they’re not sealed properly.”
Service Today says it does not recommend using heat tape to wrap pipes, calling it a potential fire hazard. Instead, homeowners are encouraged to open cabinet doors beneath sinks to allow warm air from the rest of the house to circulate around pipes.
Cobo says frozen pipes often provide no warning signs until damage has already occurred, making preparation critical.
Stay up to date on the approaching winter storm with radar and hourly forecasts in the CoastTV weather app, available for Apple and Android.