With Okanagan winters as harsh as they are, your pipes must be ready for the colder months. In this post, we’ll show you how to prepare your home or company’s plumbing.
Prevent Frozen Pipes: Insulate Your Pipes
The first step in winterizing your plumbing is to stop it from freezing altogether. This means you need to insulate your outdoor pipes. If you don’t, the water running through them can freeze.
The pressure build-up can then cause pipes to crack or burst. To get around this, use foam pipe insulation, or even heat tape to keep them warm. Professional plumbers can find the right materials for your property.
Here are some extra preventative plumbing tips:
- Seal any gaps before insulating.
- Cover every joint and valve.
- Insulate any outdoor faucets.
Drain Outdoor Water Systems to Avoid Frozen Pipes
You can also get around frosted plumbing by draining outdoor faucets, so there’s no water left to freeze. This also extends to garden hoses and sprinklers.
Winter plumbing preparation is about knowing how much water you’ll use. If you’ll be away from home, for example, this is especially vital. Make sure every last drop flows out of each spigot.
Protect Indoor Plumbing
Even with indoor heating, you must learn how to winterize plumbing for your home or business. With this in mind, here are our preventative indoor plumbing tips:
- Make every room a consistent temperature.
- Consider insulating your walls and floors.
- Let warm air circulate in enclosed spaces.
- Get regular water heater inspections.
- Prevent frozen pipes with special covers.
- Check your pipes for damages or leaks.
- Stop cold air getting in where you can.
Kelowna’s winters (luckily) aren’t too extreme. In a cold snap, however, any of these tips could be the crown jewel in your winter plumbing preparation.
Winterize Your Plumbing: Maintain Your Water Heater
As above, it’s essential that you keep an eye on your water heater. Whether you use a hot water tank or a tankless system, they’ll need regular servicing.
There’s no substitute for a full maintenance check. This gives your heater the official green light. You’ll be sure that it’ll keep your home or business warm, no matter the weather outside.
In terms of DIY water heater maintenance, you can drain the tank of sediment. This stops any of the contents from clogging your pipes. You could even limit heat loss with an insulation blanket.
Increase Efficiency & Avoid Breakdowns During Winter: Seal Cracks & Leaks
A good way to prevent frozen pipes is to keep an eye out for any cracks. Even small gaps could cause cold air to frost over your plumbing.
This goes beyond the pipes. Even a draft coming in from the window can lower a room’s overall temperature. This means your HVAC system has to work harder to heat the space.
Furnace maintenance can spot these problems with ease. This will help you winterize home and business plumbing, and even save money long-term.
Prepare Before Winter: Know the Location of Your Main Shut-Off Valve
You need to be ready for an indoor plumbing crisis. For example, without insulation, your pipes might crack. Knowing where your shut-off valve is can stop a leak, or even a full-scale burst.
Among our many preventative winter plumbing tips, this could be the most important. Your valve will use a lever or wheel. In either setup, turn it clockwise until the water flow stops.
Ready To Winterize Plumbing in Your Home or Business?
Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling can help properties in Kelowna (and beyond) get ready for the next winter. Give us a call today on our 24/7 helpline, and winterize your home or company.
