The primary offenders for those who failed to adequately cover or winterize their sprinkler systems, water pipes, and hose bibs before the freezing temperatures arrived were these items.
Homes can be severely damaged by cold weather, which can result in frozen pipes. Repairing them can cost homeowners hundreds to thousands of dollars if they fracture or burst.
“If you woke up (Wednesday) morning with frozen pipes, there is a chance that you have a cracked pipe,” stated Joe Bany, John Moore Services’ director of field operations.
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He suggests leaving the faucets open for people in the Houston region who have frozen pipes. Water can then have a place to escape as it unfreezes thanks to this. According to Bany, it’s a good idea to turn off the house’s water supply until the cause of the issue has been thoroughly investigated.
“When you turn off the water to the house, you relieve the pressure to the home,” Bany explained. “If the ice thaws, it runs the way it should and you’re not overfilling in a broken location.”
Bany stressed how crucial it is to winterize and have homes ready for frigid temperatures. Homeowners should cover their outdoor pipes before winter storms, he advised.
According to Bany, pipes that are galvanized, copper, or CPVC may not provide the same flexibility as more recent pipes that are being used to construct new homes since they are more likely to break and have a more rigid structure.
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“If you have those products in there, when it expands the ice really doesn’t have anywhere to go, so it breaks the pipe,” Bany explained.
According to Bany, homeowners should think about PEX piping since it is less prone to rupture in freezing temperatures because it is flexible and expands under pressure.
According to him, attic insulation is also essential for pipe protection.
“We should ideally have 15–16 inches of insulation in Houston,” Bany stated. That is the attic’s ideal insulation height. That will safeguard every pipe in the attic.
