In Snohomish County, we do not experience below freezing temperatures on a constant basis, which can make winterizing your house a challenging task. Let's say we have a beautiful clear crisp day and you want to wash your car. That’s great, but if you forget to unhook your hose after finishing it may freeze overnight. Here are some simple rules you can follow to avoid a plumbing disaster.
- Make sure that all of the garden hoses outside your home are disconnected. Failing to do so can cause damage, not only the hose, but also the hose bib to which it is connected. This is especially important with "frost free" hose bibs. The hose must be disconnected to make the faucet freeze-proof. Failure to do so will trap water in the faucet body, which can freeze. If the hose is disconnected, the anti-freeze faucet can properly drain and prevent freezing.
- Open cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate into areas that are prone to exposure to the cold, or cabinets that are against outside walls.
- Check pipes in your crawl spaces. Make sure they are wrapped, and cover any vents that pipes run next to.
- In worst case scenarios, turn on your water. Moving water will not freeze; even just a drip will stop your pipes from freezing.
- Everyone in the house should know where the main water shut off is. This will stop the flow of water into the house if there is a leak.
- Hot tubs and swimming pools can freeze if they are turned off during the winter months. If you do turn them off, make sure the drain plugs have been pulled out of all equipment to allow water to drain out.
- If you are on a well and have a pump house, make sure that it is well insulated and that there is a heat source in the pump house. Something as simple as a light bulb can provide enough heat to stop freeze damage.
If you do experience frozen broken pipes, do not panic. Turn off your water, and call a local plumber. Avoid plumbers with the big full page ads on the back of the phone books, or you might start freakin’ when you get the bill.
Cameron Brown
Brown’s Plumbing Pumps and Spas
Celebrating 73 years in Marysville
