With the winter months right around the corner, you and the rest of your household may be planning a vacation somewhere warm and more welcoming. However, before you start packing, there is still one thing you need to do. While not many homeowners realize this, getting the pipes ready for winter is vital. Otherwise, when the cold finally sets in, your pipes will be in danger of all sorts of problems, from leaks to bursts and more. Without you around to keep the home in check, the likelihood of such issues occurring becomes exponentially higher.

As such, along with all the preparations you will need to do to make your home winter-ready, here are some of the things you need to do to ensure your pipes are the same.

1. Drain all the water

The one thing you will need to do is to ensure all the pipes in your home are drained thoroughly. That way, there will be no risk of any water freezing over, stressing out your pipes, and leaving your plumbing system riddled with issues.

To drain the pipes in your home, the first thing you will need to do is shut off the main valve. Follow that up by turning off the water pump along with the heater. Once everything is shut off, drain all the valves and taps in your home by opening them. You can utilize air compressors to pump air into the pipes to push more water out.

Also, drain your hot water tank and your holding tank until it is empty. For your toilets, flush them and keep on doing so until there is no more water left. After all of that is done, pour some antifreeze into the pipes through your bathtub and sink to ensure any water left will not freeze and crack the pipes.

2. Insulate your pipes

Once all the pipes in your home are drained, you can then go about insulating them. This is to further ensure that your pipes will not be prone to freezing, that everything will work just as fine when you come back.

You can insulate exposed pipes, such as those under your sink, with sleeves and slip-on foam insulation. Also, keep an eye out for any cracks in the walls, floors, and ceilings. These cracks can introduce the cold into your home, so make sure you caulk them up. Finally, ensure any crawl spaces in your home are insulated. As for the vents that lead to the outside, you can block them up using cardboard.

Conclusion

Follow all the tips above before you pack your bags for your winter getaway. Remember, you want to enjoy a stress-free vacation, and you can help guarantee that by ensuring your pipes remain in perfect condition while you are away.

That said, if you discover any issues with your pipes or need help maintaining them, you can contact plumbing professionals to help. With their tools and knowledge, they can ensure that all your pipes are in perfect condition and that any problem is quickly addressed.

Emergency Plumbing Heating Company is a provider of high-quality, fast, and affordable plumbing repair and installation services to help homeowners with their plumbing-related needs. If you are looking for plumbing companies near you, work with us today!