Even though the weather is heating up, you can never be too prepared for winter to arrive. As the cooler months start coming back, you need to keep your home from suffering frozen pipes near Elmhurst . There are a few ways you can keep your pipes from freezing this winter with preparation in the summertime.

Drain Nonessential Water Supplies

Before winter starts, you should be winterizing your home to protect from cold temperatures. Summer is the ideal time, because you will not have to worry about the occasional evening with freezing temperatures as you would in the fall. You should also be winterizing your summer appliances—such as the swimming pool, sprinklers, and garden hoses—as summer winds down to keep your pipes from potentially bursting. Open up these water lines and let them drain. Hoses may still have water present in them, so open the outside valve so any remaining water will not risk the pipes.

Insulate Exposed Water Pipes

One of the most important ways to prevent frozen pipes is to insulate them against the cold. If you have any exposed pipes outside the house, or in a cold basement, then look into different insulation materials. There are pipe sleeves and tape specifically meant to fully cover pipes against cold weather. These sleeves can be found at your local hardware store or with your plumbing services. Some homeowners, typically in milder climates, can protect their pipes with newspapers and plastic bags. These methods should only be used if you are in a pinch. Buy proper piping insulation as soon as you are able.

Keep the Heat Running

You want your heater running at certain temperatures and times of the day to keep your pipes from bursting. If you leave for vacation, keep your heater going while you are away. Though there will be no one there to enjoy the heat, you cut down on the risk of a frozen and broken pipe. Also, try to keep your heater consistent in temperature throughout the day and night. Your pipes can retain the benefit of the heater when the temperature drops at night.

Frozen pipes are among the most serious emergency plumbing situations that are encountered by homeowners. When you are scheduling seasonal plumbing services for your property, you should be sure to ask your residential plumbing contractor about how you can prevent frozen or burst pipes. Since burst pipes are caused by freezing outdoor temperatures, you can keep your pipes from freezing by providing them with proper insulation. A company offering plumbing services serving Elmhurst will be able to fully insulate your pipes and prepare them for the next cold snap. If you are wondering about how you can prevent frozen pipes in your home, be sure to take a look at this informative video from Angie’s List.

When you live in Illinois, you’re at risk of suffering from frozen pipes near Elmhurst during the colder months. Frozen pipes can be dangerous both to your health and safety, and also to the structure of your home. Here is a look at some of the biggest dangers of frozen pipes.

High Risk of Property Damage

One of the biggest dangers of frozen pipes is that you are at a high risk of property damage if the pipe bursts. Burst pipes can cause extensive flooding and water damage to your property, and can make your home structurally unsafe. The average cost for pipe repair, a flood control system to handle basement flooding, and other emergency plumbing services resulting from a burst pipe is $5,000. A residential plumber can easily install insulation around your plumbing to prevent frozen pipes and burst pipes. This will reduce your risk of property damage and mitigate your costs for emergency plumbing services.

Possibility of Injury

When you have frozen pipes in your home, there is always a chance that you’ll have burst pipes. Frozen pipes and burst pipes increase the possibility that you or a family member will suffer from an injury. If you attempt plumbing services yourself, you could injure yourself while attempting to perform pipe repair. Basement flooding also significantly increases the risk of injury to family members, particularly ones who are very young or very old. A flooded basement can cause problems with your home’s wiring, leading to house fires, electric shocks, or electrocution. Young children can also easily become injured in a flooded basement.

Increased Cost of Fixing or Replacing Plumbing

If you wait until your home develops frozen pipes or a burst pipe, you’ll end up suffering from a plumbing emergency. Emergency plumbing services are typically very expensive. You might also have to pay high costs for pipe repair, flood control, and cleaning up a flooded basement because you will require the services and supplies immediately. If you take the time to prevent frozen pipes before they happen, you’ll significantly reduce your residential plumbing costs.