While the winter weather around here is not nearly as severe as some parts of the Country, cold weather is still the most damaging to your plumbing system of all means of wear and tear. The materials that your plumbing system are made from are designed to withstand years of use, but Mother Nature is a difficult one to predict and all man-made structures can fall victim.
Here are just a few things that you can do to help ensure that your plumbing is protected from the cold weather that is looming:
- If you have rain gutters and downspouts on your home, now is the time to clean them out and make sure they are ready for the heavy rains. While there may still be leaves falling, it is best to get the clean out done sooner than later so that you can repair any areas of damage that you find during the process. Sticks can be very damaging to rain gutters and if the screws or fittings are knocked loose or, missing your gutters won’t properly divert the water away from your home and you could be looking at flooding around your foundation.
- If you have garden hoses hooked up outside, now is a good time to unscrew them from the outdoor hose bibs. You can screw them on when you need to use them but, then unscrew them again after each use. This precaution might seem a little much, but if the temperatures get cold enough you’ll be glad you did it! Garden hoses are not meant to withstand any amount of cold and the water inside of them will freeze. When this happens, if they are hooked up, a pressure will build up due to the ice blockage and that pressure will cause a rupture in your plumbing system.
While it feels like summer is still hanging around, it is technically the fall season. The cold weather is not far off and it is important to make sure that your plumbing system is ready. Follow these tips to protect your plumbing system from the snap of fall and winter.