Hey Louisiana! Protect Your Pipes from Freezing Weather Conditions - Al Bourgeois Plumbing & Heating

It’s almost unbelievable to imagine that Louisiana is about to be struck by a maelstrom of low temperatures and icy rain. Hopefully, everyone has stocked up on their rainy day supplies, including hot chocolate, fluffy blankets, and good books. Chances are you’d rather curl up in a blanket cocoon until the worst of the chilly weather is over. But there’s one more thing you have to do before you enter hibernation. Take care of your plumbing.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes are not typically a Louisiana winter concern, but you should still learn how to prevent this potentially costly damage. When water freezes, it expands, creating undue pressure on your pipes until they cannot contain the ice any longer. This expansion causes fissures and cracks in your plumbing! If you are like most Louisianians and you have older plumbing, frozen pipes can be doubly detrimental! Here are a few tips to prevent frozen pipes.

1. Suppose your water pipes are located in unheated, exterior walls or crawl spaces. In that case, you can easily insulate them with a sleeve-style material that helps you maintain a water temperature of over 32 degrees. You can also prevent freezing by insulating your rooms and blocking any gaps or cracks in your windowsills or doorframes.
2. Run Your Water. It only takes a tiny trickle! This is an easy way to help prevent frozen pipes. During the coldest period, run a few faucets located in the chilliest areas of your home. These are the areas in which your pipes are most likely to freeze. You can prevent your pipes from freezing by creating a steady stream of water.
3. It may sound obvious, but keeping your pipes warm is a must during the chilly months! Doing your best to keep out cold air and bring warm air to your pipes can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Space heaters are one way to bring a little extra warmth to the coldest areas of the house.

What if My Pipes Freeze? How to Thaw Your Frozen Pipes

It happens. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do, and one of your pipes decides to freeze. Dealing with frozen pipes fast enough can help minimize damage to your home and plumbing! If you suspect a pipe is frozen, follow these steps to prevent additional damage.

1. Locate the Pipe. Finding the frozen pipe in question can be as easy as turning on all of your faucets. This is a trick to see which faucet appears to have low water pressure. If one of your faucets produces a tiny trickle of water, this is a clear sign of a frozen pipe. If one of your pipes is frozen, there is a high likelihood that other pipes are frozen as well. Remember to check all of the faucets in your home.
2. Shut of Water Supply. Reduce the amount of water that can potentially freeze on top of the already frozen water supply. Shut off your water and prepare for a little mopping when the ice does finally thaw and dislodge from the pipes. Afterward, drain all of your faucets.
3. Warm the Pipe. Once you’ve located the pipe, and you’ve shut off the water supply, you can get to work thawing out the ice. Use anything you have on hand, from a space heater to a hairdryer.
4. Lookout for Leaks. Once you have thawed your frozen pipe (great job), it’s time to check for leaks. If the frozen water caused damage to your pipe, shut off the water supply once again and call Al Bourgeois Plumbing right away.

Contact Your Metairie Plumber Al Bourgeois Plumbing Today!

Are you dealing with a plumbing emergency, such as a frozen pipe? At Al Bourgeois Plumbing, we’re prepared to do whatever we can to meet your needs. We take care of everything from plumbing repair to water heater repair and installation.  Contact Al Bourgeois Plumbing, your Metairie Plumber, today!