The winter weather can wreak all kinds of havoc on our homes, especially our pipes. But what happens when they freeze? What do you do? How can you avoid the problem? 

Kelson Carter, Carter’s My Plumber, shares a few insider tips: 

Common Places for Freezing Pipes
#1 Garage
    -Garage door left open
    -Not enough heat getting in the garage
#2 Crawl Space
    -Vents and doors left open
    (it is recommended to cover vents in the winter with foam board)
#3 Second Story of a House (the attic)
    -More wind/colder air 
    -Not the best insulation

Does the temperature of your house have a factor with frozen pipes?
It is important to keep temps above 50 in the winter – especially when traveling

How to Diagnose a frozen pipe: 
#1 No running water
-Turn on your sink and no water comes out
#2 Inspect for splits
    -Pipe will split if water is frozen

What can we do before we call a professional?

#1 If you find a split- Shut off the main water to house
-Every homeowner needs to know where their main shut off is
    (could be basement, crawl space, even garage)

#2 If there is no split- tape off frozen area, turn on water, and heat with a portable heater or blow dryer
-when unthawed water will run like normal

What a Pipe Freeze can lead to:
#1 Burst
#2 Floods
#3 Water Damage
#4 Costly repairs

How do we avoid frozen pipes?
#1 Keep the garage door shut
#2 Open the cabinets
#3 Keep a trickle 
#4 Shut crawl space doors and vents
#5 When going on vacation- keep heat on 50+ degrees and shut off main water

To learn more, visit www.CartersMyPlumber.com. 

SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY CARTER’S MY PLUMBER