4 Tips to Avoid Your Indoor Pipes from Bursting
Picture this: you’ve just left for work in the morning, and someone has broken into your home dragging in your garden hose. The burglar drops the hose in the middle of the floor, turns the tap on full blast and leaves. Can you imagine what kind of mess you’d return home to later that evening?
It’s not a very realistic scenario, but the damage would be substantial. A more likely occurrence with the potential of delivering similar disastrous results is a burst pipe.
Fortunately, burst pipes are more predictable than a random garden hose-toting burglar. Here are a few easy tips that can prevent burst pipes from happening in your home.
1. Inspect Your Pipes Regularly
Some burst pipes start out as a tiny leak, no bigger than the head of the needle. Over time, the hole grows bigger resulting in far greater damage.
With a flashlight, have a close look at all of your exposed pipe for any evidence of moisture or pooling water in your basement, under sinks, around your dishwasher, washing machine, and near your water heater.
Some pinhole leaks can occur in pipes that are hidden inside your walls, making them more difficult to detect. You may be able to identify a leak in your plumbing system by shutting off all of the taps in your home and ensuring that none of the appliances that consume water are currently on. Then, check your water meter. After 15 to 30 minutes, if it shows that water has been consumed in your home, you may have a hidden leak.
2. Maintain Your Water Pump on a Regular Basis
Abrupt surges in the water pressure within your plumbing system can place a great strain on your pipes that can result in a burst. Such sudden increases in water flow, known as water hammers, can be caused by a malfunctioning water pump.
There are some DIY maintenance tasks that you can look after. These include checking the seals and lubricating the bearings on a monthly basis. You can also make sure that the water pump remains securely mounted on the base and hasn’t shaken loose.
3. Seek the Help of A Professional, When Necessary
If you have spotted a pinhole leak in your pipes, or if you suspect you have one hidden within your walls, it’s best to place your trust in an experienced plumbing professional to handle the repairs. With specialized tools, an experienced technician will be able to quickly locate the problem and repair it.
It’s also a good idea to seek the help of a qualified plumber to perform a more thorough inspection and maintenance of your water pump once a year. During this annual service visit, the technician can perform diagnostic tests, check vital components like bearings and belt drive, and complete any required adjustments.
4. Keep the Heat on When You Go On Your Winter Vacation
While it’s true that the temperature in the Dallas / Fort Worth area rarely dips below freezing, you never know when an unexpected cold snap might occur. That’s why it’s still a good idea to keep the heat on in your home when you go on a winter vacation to make sure that your pipes don’t freeze.
If you’re ever faced with the unfortunate calamity of burst pipes in your home, or if you want to do everything you can to prevent it from ever happening, you can place your trust in the friendly experts at Reeves Family Plumbing in Dallas, TX. Call us today at 972-247-3763.
