Nothing can be more aggravating than waking up on a freezing morning anticipating a hot shower, then being denied the pleasure when no water comes out. Temperatures during the winter months can easily freeze pipes. If you don’t want to repeat this scenario, here are some suggestions to help keep your pipes from freezing over during the winter.

1. Insulate your pipes. Remember that insulation is meant to retain the heat that is already in the pipe. It won’t be adding heat. Rubber insulation is less expensive than fiberglass, and is easier to work with. However, it does not work well with heat tape because it doesn’t provide any vapor barrier. Fiberglass insulation can irritate your eyes, skin, and lungs but in the wintertime it proves to be a better insulator. If you have exposed pipes under your home you can try using insulation “tubing”. It is easy to work with, and provides good insulation for colder climates. Don’t forget to keep pipe insulation tape nearby to use on areas that are harder to fit.

Frozen Water Pipes

2. If you have bathroom pipes that freeze easier than the rest of your home, try using windshield washer fluid. Pour a cupful of the windshield washer fluid down the sink and shower drains, then let it sit there overnight. It will provide an anti-freeze effect so your pipes won’t freeze over.

3. Open the cabinet doors underneath your sinks. This allows warm air from the room to circulate around the pipes. Focus on the bathrooms and kitchen cabinet doors.

4. If you are a “snow bird” or cabin owner who leave their homes during the wintertime, a freeze alarm may be beneficial to own. The alarm monitors the temperature in your home and can be programmed to alert yourself or a neighbor if the temperature drops below where it needs to. It can be very nice to be warned ahead of time so you can fix the problem so you don’t have to worry about coming home to busted pipes.

5. After you remove your hoses outside for the winter, be sure to shut off the valve that supplies water to the outside tap. You should also drain all the standing water from the pipe. Keep the outside tap open until the weather gets warmer, and then you can close it and turn back on the water supply valve.

It’s important to have a trustworthy plumber to take care of your plumbing needs and air conditioning, and heating