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Even though the weather doesn't frequently get too cold in Sugar Land, TX, you want to make sure that you're prepared for just in case it does. After all, you may not have a whole lot of warning about just what's going to happen outside. That's why your plumbing needs to be well monitored and taken care of and its why plumbers advise you to take care of these important tasks long before the weather could take a turn for the worse.
1. Drain Your Hoses
If you have water outside your home then you want to make sure that you disconnect any hoses and drain them out immediately. Once they're fully drained you can store them away in a garage, a basement, a shed or wherever you like. Leaving them connected to your house could mean that the water in them will freeze, which could actually damage the connector into your house or back up into the lines that go into your house. None of those are good and they'll require you to call in plumbers to fix things.
2. Have an Inspection for Leaks
You can do a thorough inspection yourself but it's also a good idea to have professional plumbers check for leaks. A leak could cause you even more trouble in the winter because if those pipes freeze then you end up with an even bigger mess. You want to make sure that you fix any leaks that are found and that you carefully evaluate anything that might look like a minor issue. They could definitely become something major as the cold temperatures set in, especially with expanding and contracting happening in your pipes from the change in temperature.
3. Insulate the Pipes
If your pipes are all inside the home and in interior walls or your exterior walls are very well insulated you may not need to insulate your pipes specifically. If you live in a mobile home, however, or an older home without as much insulation, it's important to apply some form of insulation to your pipes so they aren't going to freeze when the outside temperatures get too cold. You can call your plumbers to help you with this process or to get advice on whether your pipes are in danger and should be wrapped.
Get the Water Heater Checked Out
You should definitely make sure that your water heater is going to work all the way through the winter because no one likes to take cold showers or wash their dishes in cold water (especially when the outside temperatures are so cold). Make sure you get a good checkup of the water heater and then see if your Sugar Land, TX plumbers recommend any additional service or repairs to the water heater. This is going to be extremely important so you don't end up with a problem sometime in the middle of winter.
Check Out the Furnace
Your furnace is actually an important piece of the puzzle as well. After all, if you lose heat the pipes throughout your house are in even more danger of freezing and that's definitely not something that you want to happen. So, what are you going to do? Call in a professional and get a good checkup on your furnace. That way, you know that at least the heat in your house is going to be protecting your family and your plumbing from potential problems.
Shut Off the Water
Well, you're definitely not going to be doing this one if you're staying in the house, but if you're heading out for an extended period of time you should actually shut the water off entirely and you may even want to call your plumbers to come drain out the lines entirely. If there's no water flowing through them consistently they could freeze. And that's even more likely when there's just a small amount of water sitting in the lines. Shutting off the water and draining things out makes it nearly impossible for them to freeze and it does make it impossible for them to leak and cause water damage in your home.
Keep Cabinet Doors Open
If you can, open some of the cabinet doors that have plumbing hiding behind them. This is a good way to keep these pipes warm when the weather gets too cold because you'll be letting the heat from the rest of the house get to them. Be careful of this if you keep chemicals in these cabinets and you have pets or small children. You'll want to make sure you move these items so that they can't get into them but that you're able to keep those doors open as much as possible.
Keep Your Temperature Up
If the weather fluctuates you want the temperature in your house to still be steady or even a little bit warmer than usual. This can keep your pipes steadier and make sure that everything about your home is still running relatively smooth. You may not need to call those plumbers to take care of anything. Plus, your family is going to be happier when the temperature stays nice and warm so that's something else to consider. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing can help you figure out where to keep your temperature set to be comfortable in your Sugar Land, TX home all winter.
If you're looking to get prepared for winter in Sugar Land, TX you should definitely not discount these tips. Even though the weather doesn't often get too cold and we don't see temperatures that drop so low as other states, that doesn't mean you should ignore some basic precautions. Make sure that you take a look at these tips and start getting your home ready for the winter. Your local plumbers are definitely hoping that you will because that's how you're going to keep from needing those costly repairs. And of course, you don't want to find yourself spending a lot on new plumbing and pipes either, right?