Cold Weather Plumbing Issues and What to Do

When you think about winter, you probably picture snow, the holiday season, and cold weather. One thing that you may not really think about is your plumbing system. Your plumbing system can be seriously impacted during the chilly winter months. These issues can wind up causing you a major headache down the line. These cold weather plumbing problems can cause you to need major plumbing repair services, such as hot water heater repairs, which can be very frustrating.

Thankfully, there are some easy ways to either avoid these issues from even happening or to fix these issues on your own. Below are some common plumbing issues that you may experience in the winter and how to even avoid these issues.

●      Frozen Pipes. While we may not experience extremely cold weather in North Carolina during the winter, frozen pipes are still a possibility. When the temperature goes below 32°F, it is important to check on any exposed pipes that you have. If you notice a layer of frost on these pipes, it would be in your best interest to try to defrost them. You can usually defrost them with common household items like a hairdryer. If you don’t take care of this issue, there is a possibility that the pipes could burst, which would cause a huge mess for you.

●      Water Heater Issues. Your water heater is crucial during the winter months. The last thing you probably want to do is take a freezing cold shower. During the winter months, you may put more strain on your hot water heater which could cause it to malfunction. If you noticeinconsistent water temperatures or odd noises coming from your water heater, you may want to call a professional, like us, to help repair this issue. While there isn’t a way to exactly stop this issue from happening in the first place, it is always a good idea to have a reliable plumbing contractor, like the one at Affordable Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, on your side to help you when this type of issue does occur. We can provide excellent hot water heater repairs for our clients.

●      Clogged Drains. Unfortunately, clogged drains are not an uncommon problem during the winter months. With the holiday season, that usually requires a lot of cooking and new foods, it puts a lot of stress on your kitchen drains that have to deal with the clean up process. Dumping things like extra grease or large amounts of excess food into the drain can cause it to clog. That is why it is crucial that you take the extra time to make sure you aren’t dumping grease or anything else that isn't supposed to be in the drain into the drain. This can help you prevent a major headache later on.

●      Sump Pump Issues. Sump pumps are supposed to help get rid of any extra water in low areas of your home, such as your basement. In the winter months, these sump pumps can get backed up extremely easily or they can even freeze. That is why it is so important that during the winter months, you make sure to clean out the sump pump and clear any blockages in the pump before they get too bad.

It is extremely important to take extra good care of your plumbing systems during the winter months as these types of issues can arise at any time during these colder months.