Plumbing Tips

The climate throughout Berkeley, CA can oftentimes be described as quite lovely. While human are more adaptable to the sudden, yet momentary, shifts in temperature, your plumbing and pipes might not be. In order to protect your pipes from damage, it is important to remember a few things about the nature of plumbing, water, and metals.

Air it Out

Open all the cabinet doors throughout your kitchen and bathroom to allow for warmer air to access your plumbing system. This may look a bit silly in practice, but you’d be surprised at how effective this technique will prove. It’s also important to remove any harmful cleaners or chemicals which may be within arm’s reach of small children. If anything, this tip will force you to clean out the cluttered storage spaces throughout your home.

Let it Flow

When temperatures begin to plummet, allow for some cold water to drip from any of your faucets which are served by exposed pipes. Permitting the smallest trickle to run through your pipes will help your system from freezing over. This releases pressure from the pipes, which is the reason pipes burst in the first place.

Nice and Steady

Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature morning, noon and night. Though you may ultimately incur a higher heating bill, keeping a steady temp throughout the entire day may help preserve your pipes. Slight fluctuations are fine, but if your home’s heat is constantly fluctuating, you may be creating stress on your pipes.

Pack up the Premises

It’s important to account for all the hoses you generally keep outdoors. Remove these items from the outside of your home and be sure to drain them before placing them into storage areas. You should also shut any inside valves which supply outdoor hose bibs with water and allow these bibs to drain. At this point, you may want to leave the outdoor valve in an open position. This way, any remaining water left in the pipe can expand without causing your hardware to burst.

Hopefully, these are ways you can protect your plumbing and prevent leaky or bursting pipes. If you want more advice or help in making sure your plumbing is in proper maintenance, please contact us at Harry Clark Plumbing and Heating, Inc. It is our job to make sure things are working properly. Proper maintenance goes a long way in saving you time and money.