How to Enjoy Your Holiday Season by Avoiding These Plumbing Headaches

No one wants to deal with plumbing emergencies when there are gifts to open and holiday dinners to consume. The holiday season should be about spending time with family, staying cozy and warm and finishing the year on a good note. There’s simply no time to deal with annoying plumbing issues such as burst pipes, broken sump pumps or malfunctioning water heaters.

Here are some tips on how to enjoy the holidays while simultaneously avoiding plumbing headaches:

Prevent Burst Pipes by Keeping Your Home Warm

A cold home is not only uncomfortable for your family and guests, but it could also contribute to burst pipes. If your home is chilly and the cold air gets to your pipes, the water inside could freeze, expand and cause a rupture. We recommend keeping your home at 55 degrees or higher.

Protect your home further by insulating your pipes.

Homeowners who have experienced burst pipes in the past will know exactly how annoying this issue can be. Within seconds, your home could be flooded with ice-cold water doing extensive damage, and ruining holiday plans at the same time. If you have any pipes that could potentially be exposed to cold air, insulate them with either foam insulation or handy insulation sleeves that slip over the pipe.

Give Your Water Heater a Boost With Insulation

During the colder winter months, your water heater may need to work harder to heat the same amount of water. This could potentially result in the water heater failing or malfunctioning. Keep the unit protected from the cold and help it better retain heat with water heater insulation. Most major brands offer unique insulation sleeves that fit over their specific units.

Take a minute to ensure the shut-off valve is closed on your outdoor faucets.

Even if you’ve taken the time to remove your outdoor hoses and store them for the season, is the shut-off valve completely closed? If not, you may experience dripping, leaking or an unexpected burst pipe if the water inside freezes.

Quickly Test the Sump Pump

If your sump pump only operates on an emergency basis, chances are, it may seize over time with disuse. This is not ideal for winter when there is more precipitation. A seized sump pump during the holidays is a headache that any homeowner will want to avoid.

The best way to test your sump pump is by pouring water in the tank to see if it triggers the pump. If nothing happens, the motor may be seized and you’ll need to call a professional for a thorough inspection and repair.

Put an End to Leaky Faucets

Imagine sitting down to a beautiful holiday dinner and noticing a dripping sound coming from the kitchen sink. This is an irritating issue that can ruin the cheerful ambiance of your holiday get-together. Not to mention the wasted water from dripping or leaking faucets. By making sure that water flows freely from the faucet, you’ll avoid this problem and be able to fully enjoy the holidays.

For more plumbing repairs and installation services this holiday season, call Powell’s Plumbing. For fast service in Winchester, VA, and the surrounding area, call 540-665-8196 today.