Avoid Winter Plumbing Emergencies With These Tips—Our Guide

Winter might be the coldest time of the year, but it can feel like hell when you experience a plumbing emergency in the middle of the season. From leaking pipes to malfunctioning water heaters, any plumbing-related mishap during wintertime can hurt you and your finances without any warning.

If you find yourself dreading the possible plumbing issues, then we at Bromac Mechanical can help you prevent clogged drains and other emergency plumbing scenarios from happening through regular maintenance checks. Here’s what we recommend:

Keep Your Pipes Insulated

Leaving your pipes unprotected can put undue stress on your pipes. This can lead to devastating results as the pipes are vulnerable to freezing and eventually bursting. When that happens, you can damage your house or someone might even get hurt.

As such, winterizing your pipes is perhaps the first thing you should consider right before the cold hits. This involves insulating your pipes so that it doesn’t freeze over the long winter months. It can be easily done on your own, but hiring a professional plumber is still the best option.

Frozen pipes can cause a lot of problems. Some of these problems may not be present at first, but they can have long-lasting effects on your overall plumbing system.

Prevent Leaks From Happening

In relation to winterizing, a leak would be the eventual result of a frozen pipe. Freezing can make your pipes brittle and prone to splitting or breaking—thus resulting in a lot of wasted water when it finally gives way.

The best way to avoid any leaks is to have all your pipes inspected by a professional. This is best done just before the cold sets in! In fact, you should have your pipes regularly inspected throughout the year as a preventive measure.

Look Into Your Heating System

The last thing anyone wants is to have no hot water in the shower during wintertime. As far as worst-case scenarios go, this takes the cake! As such, next to winterizing pipes, a water heater check would be the next logical thing to take care of.

Having your heater checked every year would be ideal, and the best time to do that would be the weeks leading up to winter. On average, water heaters last about 6-13 years before you start encountering problems—and that’s with regular maintenance. Hiring a plumber to check will make sure you don’t experience cold showers in the winter.

Clear Up Clogged Drains

If you want your guests to enjoy the holidays and your celebration uninterrupted, then doing preventive maintenance to your drains should be on your list. Out of all the emergency plumbing scenarios mentioned above, this is the easiest to prevent!

Here’s what you can do:

• Avoid leaving grease and fatty residue down the sink drains;
• Avoid grinding big chunks of food waste on your garbage disposal—cut them into smaller pieces and sink them with a strong flow of water;
• Install drain traps on all household drains; and
• Don’t use too much toilet paper in one flush.

Don’t Forget Sewer Lines

Have your sewer lines and your septic tank checked every few years to see if there are any issues. It’s also best to have your septic tank pumped before wintertime just to be safe.

Sewer lines and septic tanks, if left unchecked, can lead to disaster. Years of waste that accumulated and left inside the septic tank can expand and cause it to burst. Any minor issues encountered throughout the year should be enough to have it checked or to request plumbing repair services.

Conclusion

The weeks leading to winter are a great time to prepare for the holiday season. With those preparations in mind, you shouldn’t neglect to have your pipes, drains, and sewer lines inspected. Regular maintenance checks are the best way to avoid issues, as it allows you to act before the situation gets worse!

Are you looking for residential plumbing services in Abbotsford, BC? Our professionals at Bromac Mechanical are here to help you with all the work! Our team is always ready to provide emergency services whenever you need them. We serve the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland, and the surrounding areas. Contact us today to find out more about our offers!