This winter may come gift wrapped in snow and pretty landscapes, but what it looks like and how it feels to deal with day in and day out is another matter altogether. If you’re dreading the winter for practical reasons, such as plumbing concerns, then you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to be looking at a few tips to avoid plumbing emergencies during the winter months. So read on to find out how to stay warm and dry throughout the freeze, the wind and rain.
Avoiding Plumbing Problems
Damage to your plumbing system whether it’s inside or outside or worse still, both, can be stressful at the best of times. That’s without the cost and hassle of getting someone out to repair it so you and your family can get back on track staying warm and dry. Wouldn’t it be great if you could avoid this each year and just be able to run your heating system without worrying about it breaking down?
We see that there are some problems which repeat themselves each year and they amount to a handful we can talk about here, so you can avoid them.
Frozen pipes are a classic
Frozen pipes can cost you hundreds of pounds to repair. By having them insulated either around the pipes themselves or by adding it to the walls, you could save you a significant amount of money in the long term. You can also keep your heating on a low level throughout most of the freezing temperatures so your pipes don’t freeze.
Blocked drains
Keep your drains and guttering clear all year round as you don’t want your drains to be blocked during the winter months. Remove any debris and any other obstructions that may have blown in on the wind such as twigs, branches and leaves so they won’t freeze over and block the drains. This extends to your kitchen and bathroom sinks not just outside - be careful what it is you try to flush down your drains because they could get caught and cause a blockage, a blockage that could freeze over and make it almost impossible to solve without help from a professional drain expert or plumber.
Gas boiler check
It’s also a good idea to get your gas boiler system checked out and in full working order for the winter. Make sure all radiators are working as they should be and don’t need bleeding. Are they heating up evenly throughout the entire radiator or are you getting some cold spots? This could mean there’s sludge blocking the insides and a good clean out from either yourself or a trained plumber can get them back to good working order. However, you should be checking things like this throughout the year so you don’t get caught out during any freezing weather conditions.
Hometech Heating & Plumbing - Speak to the Experts
If you want to book an annual boiler service check or perhaps you think you may already have a plumbing problem, give us a call. We’re all Gas Safe registered, and both trained and qualified to carry out complex work. We’re always here to help and if you think you’d like to discuss anything we’ve mentioned above you can contact us.